Quote:
Originally Posted by Bewolf
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.
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Who knows, had the Horten's continued to work on their projects post war they too may have found the need to do the same.
The only thing we know for sure is that the B2 was not based on a Horten design.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bewolf
The thing about intentional stealth is debateable.
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Well anything is debatable..
Thus the question should be is there anything that would be considered proof that they intended it to be stealth..
Time has a funny way of 'adding' to the myths..
Take the Me262 for example, ask your average History Channel watcher what was the first 'intentional' swept wing jet design and most will tell you it was the Me262.. When in fact the initial design of the Me262 had straight wings, they were swepted back NOT to take advantage of swepted wing aspects, they were swepted back to account for the lager than expect engine size/weight to correct the cg. Another example good example is the V2 rocket.. Ask your average history Channel watcher where some of the major V2 component designs came from.. Like the fuel pump, thrust steering veins, etc and they would say Von Braun came up with that during the war, when in fact those, and many other components used on the V2 were based on Robert Goddard's designs that he used in the 20s and 30s on his rockets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bewolf
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.
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Was it radar absorbing material? I thought they used rubberized coatings on Subs to absorbe sonar, not radar.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bewolf
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.
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Agreed 100%