Horton
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BbXK...feature=g-vrec
"A game changer!"
Sorry it's in German

Viking

Just post the original

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8ap2xXdOzg

Yes off course! I wasn't looking hard enough, partly because I was so happy my German is still so good, haven't used it for years. Thank you.

Viking

Saw that show..pretty awesome. If I remember correctly, the even painted a swastika on the tail. I was quite surprised the PC police even allowed that.

I cannot help to think about the copyright problems that we had in Sturmovik when I see this documentary. Is OK to build a copy of the Horton today without permission and who own the rights to it?

well the two Horten brothers both died in the 90s (one in Argentina and one in Germany), I doubt anybody can (or would want to) claim anything over their designs.

Stealth by accident, not by intent.

The Northrop flying wings were the same. Very hard to see on radar at the time, but no one gave much thought to that aspect of their design then.

Just that Northrop up to the B2 hardly ever build a pure flying wing, but always used some kind of vertical stabilizers directly or in form of their engine setup. One of the great two pioneers (Northrop, Horten) nevertheless.

The thing about intentional stealth is debateable.
On the one hand, Germany did experiment with radar absorbing materials, U-Boats for example got a special coating for just that purpose. It's not far fetched to think that the Luftwaffe had their own interests in this regard and observed that development. The paint on the original Horton also has some Radar absorbing tendencies.

On the other hand, neither any documents from that period (those few left), nor direct testimony of the Horton brothers ever gave evidence over the Horten Bother's intention in that direction. This makes the whole debate purely speculative.

yeah, frankly I think that the choices for construction material for the Horten were based mainly on these aspects:

1) scarce raw materials.
2) lightweight construction
3) easier and cheaper to build

As you said there's no evidence to support the research in that anti-radar technology direction, if anything because if used properly the jets undoubtedly had a tactical advantage.

Maybe they choose wood because that's what they used for all of their gliders before?

If they really intended mixed charcoal dust in with the wood glue to absorb radar or for what else reason they did it, well, guess that can't be proven anymore either way.