Horten Ho.229: A forward looking project from the past

At young Age

Horten 4

           Production of this heavy fighter line, began sooner, than we would expect even in such an enormous project like the creation of the Ho. Family. Walter Horten started developing his idea, when he was in his teenager years, it was a very similar construction possibly made from wood. They both became involved in flying clubs, during this period. Alexander Lippisch, led the Hortens away from the dominant design trends toward experimenting airframes, building models and then filling their parents' house with full-sized wooden prototypes. The first Horten glider flew in 1933, which was called the Horten 4. Both of them were still under the age of 18, but the full sized prototype already included the later so-called “Horten guidelines” and was the starting point of their legendary career. The glider was a simple construction with big wings and an unusually tiny height. They were concentrating minimizing aerodynamic to reach outstanding characteristics, thus every unnecessary parts were left and they only focused on components, which provided the construction better flying capabilities. After the successful beginning, the Horten brothers built their first airplane that had engine, in 1937. It was named as Horten 5, this type was wholly differently implemented as propellers raised it into the skies, had great aerodynamic and big wings, that helped it to reach such a high speed as it’s rivals. Hortens were later described ambitionists, maniac and their ideas are bizarre or sometimes not accomplishable by other German scientists. Germany’s waffenarm grew in outrageous scales at the time, corporation pushed out ideas faster, than ever, but Hortens were not asked by any corporation, it seemed like Germany does not hunger for this evolutionary vision. They joined the Luftwaffe in 1939 and served as pilots until the outbreak of the war, from that point they were asked to be consultants in several projects, this opportunity allowed them to finish works on their idea and realize Ho. 229, parent of the modern stealth fighters.

Horten Brothers

Horten 5, a Ho 229 Protoype

Blueprint of a Ho.229

In 1941 Luftwaffe showed great interests in the airframe project, so they were absolved from military service to oversee the possibilities for an ideal fighter constructed in this way. Reimar analysed, what roles could it fit in. After a short time, they dropped the traditional engine and started in this new invention. The Hortens concluded that the low-drag flying wing design could meet all of the goals (set by a proposal for a bomber): by reducing the drag, cruise power could be lowered to the point where the range requirement could be met. They put forward their private project, the H.IX, as the basis for the bomber and other variants. The Horten brothers submitted a proposal for a two-seat version of their Horten H.IX intended, among other roles, for service as a night fighter. Shortly thereafter this small company received specifications from the TLR for an “all-weather day and night fighter”. As an “immediate solution” the night fighter variant of the two-seat multi-purpose aircraft had a decided advantage over such types as the Ar234P-5, Do335B-6 or Me262B-2 in that it would be built almost entirely of tubular steel and plywood and so at appreciably less cost. The Hortens had also listed other advantages in their original submission, besides cost effectiveness. They also mention higher speed, lower wing loading, good climb capability and, not least, considerably extended endurance, each and every one of particular import for a night fighter. The only prototype of the two-seater variant that was ever built, was later captured after the capitulation of the Third Reich. Under even halfway normal circumstances the chances of series production would have been not bad. Göring was one of the few people, who believed in the brother’s work.

At the Hangars, an unfinsihed Ho.229