Horten Ho 229
The Horten Ho 229 was a German fighter-bomber flying wing developed during the Second World War. At one stage 100 had been ordered, although this was later reduced to 20 and none were delivered to the Luftwaffe.
The first prototype, the Horten H.IX V1 was an unpowered glider first flew on 1 March 1944. Flight tests were favorable and the project progressed to the powered V2 which flew on 2 February 1945 powered by two Junkers Jumo 004 turbo-jets. As the Horten Brothers lacked sufficient production facilities, design responsibility was moved to Gothaer Waggonfabrik (hence it is sometimes referred to as the Gotha Go 229). After a design review by Gotha the V2 incorporated several changes, including adding a simple ejection seat, a substantially redesigned undercarriage to enable a higher gross weight, changes to the engine intakes, and added ducting to air-cool the jet engine’s outer casing to prevent damage to adjacent wood.
On 18 February 1945, the V2 crashed after suffering an engine fire. The pilot, Leutnant Erwin Ziller died later from his injuries.
The Horten Ho 229 V3 was intended as a template for the Ho 229 A-0 day fighter, of which 20 were on order. Larger than the V2, it was powered by two Jumo 004C engines, each with 10% greater thrust than the earlier Jumo 004B engine used for the Messerschmitt Me 262A and Arado Ar 234B, and was armed with two MK 108 30 mm cannons in the wing roots.
In April 1945, the US Third Army captured the Gothaer Waggonfabrik (Gotha) in Friedrichroda, western Thuringia along with four Horten prototypes and a Horten glider. The V3 was sent to the United States for evaluation, while the skinless centre section of the V4 with its engines and most of the systems installed, and the steel frame of the centre section of the V5 were later scrapped.
The V3 is held by the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Horten H .IX V1
Horten H .IX V2
Horten Ho 229 V3
Horten Ho 229 V4
Horten Ho 229 V5
