The Northrop N-9M was an approximately one-third scale, 60-foot (18 m) span all-wing aircraft used for the development of the full size, 172-foot (52 m) wingspan Northrop XB-35 and YB-35 flying wing long-range, heavy bomber. First flown in 1942, the N-9M (M for Model) was the third in a lineage of all-wing Northrop aircraft designs that began in 1929 when Jack Northrop succeeded in early experiments with his single pusher propeller, twin-tailed, twin-boom, all stressed metal skin Northrop X-216Hmonoplane,[1] and a decade later, the dual-propeller N-1M of 1939–1941.[2] Northrop's pioneering all-wing aircraft would lead Northrop Grumman many years later to eventually develop the advanced B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, which debuted in 1989 in US Air Force inventory.[3]
On 30 October 1941, the preliminary order for development of the B-35 Flying Wing bomber was confirmed, including engineering, testing, and most importantly a 60 ft (18 m) wingspan, one-third scale aircraft, designated N-9M.[4] It was to be used in gathering data on flight performance and for familiarizing pilots with the program's radical, all-wing design. The first N-9M was ordered in the original contract, but this was later expanded to three test aircraft in early 1943. A fourth was ordered a few months later after a crash of the first N-9M destroyed that airframe; this fourth N-9M incorporated various flight test-derived improvements and upgrades, including different, more powerful engines. The four aircraft were designated N-9M-1, -2, -A, and -B, respectively.[5]
The N-9M framework was partially constructed of wood to reduce its overall weight. The wings' outer surfaces were also skinned with a strong, specially laminated plywood. The central section (roughly equivalent to the fuselage) was made of welded tubular steel. The aircraft were originally powered by two 290 hp (216 kW) Menasco C6S-1 "Buccaneer" inverted air-cooled straight-six engines, driving twin-bladed propellers, except for the N-9MB which was powered by two 300 hp (224 kW) Franklin XO-540-7 engines.[4]
The first flight of the N-9M occurred on 27 December 1942 with Northrop test pilot John Myers at the controls.[6] During the next five months, 45 flights were made. Nearly all were terminated by various mechanical failures, the Menasco engines being the primary source of the problems. After roughly 22.5 hours of accumulated flight time, the first N-9M crashed approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Muroc Army Air Base (now Edwards Air Force Base) on 19 May 1943. The pilot, Max Constant, was killed as he attempted to recover the aircraft from a right-hand, 60° nose-down spin. The investigation found that Constant had suffered control reversal, the control column had been pressed against his chest during his recovery attempt from the steep spin, preventing him from parachuting to safety. Actions were taken to fix this problem and prevent it from happening on other N-9M test aircraft.[6]
When Northrop's Flying Wing bomber program was canceled, all remaining N-9M flight test aircraft, except for the final N-9MB, were scrapped. For more than three decades, it slowly deteriorated until the Chino, CaliforniaPlanes of Fame Air Museum acquired the aircraft in 1982 and began the labor-intensive restoration process. For the next two decades, former Northrop employees and other volunteers restored the N-9MB to its final flight configuration.[7] Since 1993, the yellow-and-blue Flying Wing has been exhibited, with flight demonstrations at several airshows every year.[8]
In April 2006, the N-9MB suffered an in-flight engine fire. The aircraft was landed safely with limited damage. Donations to the museum were solicited for its repair, and the aircraft was fully repaired to flight status. It was flown again during the annual Chino airshow on 15–16 May 2010.[7]
On 22 April 2019, the N-9MB was destroyed shortly after takeoff, when it crashed into a prison yard in Norco, California.[9] The pilot was killed but no ground casualties were reported. The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the crash to the "pilot's loss of control for undetermined reasons", stating that "given the significant fragmentation of the wreckage, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined".[10]
Specifications (N-9M)
The restored N-9MB Flying Wing being flown at Planes of Fame Air Museum's 2004 airshow, Chino. The museum flew their Flying Wing at several airshows per year.
^Air & Space (Smithsonian), October/November 2003, Volume 18, Number 4, p. 12.
^"Plane Crashes in Prison Yard of Facility in Norco: FAA". KTLA. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
^Aviation Accident Final Report WPR19FA118 (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. May 5, 2021. pp. 1–2. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
Bibliography
Coleman, Ted. Jack Northrop and the Flying Wing: The Real Story Behind the Stealth Bomber. New York: Paragon House, 1988. ISBN1-55778-079-X.
Donald, David, editor. "Northrop Flying Wings", Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN1-85605-375-X.
Maloney, Edward T. Northrop Flying Wings. Corona del Mar, California: World War II Publications, 1988. ISBN0-915464-00-4.
O'Leary, Michael. "Northrop's Flying Sorcery". Aeroplane, Volume 35, Number 6, Issue 410, June 2007. pp. 62–64.
O'Leary, Michael. "The Shape of Wings to Come". Aeroplane, Volume 35, Number 6, Issue 410, June 2007, pp. 65–68.
O'Leary, Michael. "Wings of Northrop, Part Two". Air Classics, Volume 44, Number 1, January 2008, Challenge Publications, Inc. ISSN 0002-2241. (Heavily illustrated, authoritative N-9M article.)
New 'Flying Wing' Plane Hailed as Great Advance In Aviation. "The Baltimore American" newspaper, Section E, 9 February 1930. (Front-page feature article with two photos reporting on Northrop's flights with his first Flying Wing monoplane.)
Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II. Cypress, California: Dana Parker Enterprises, 2013. ISBN978-0-9897906-0-4.
Pape, Garry and John Campbell. Northrop Flying Wings: A History of Jack Northrop's Visionary Aircraft. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1995. ISBN0-88740-689-0.
Wooldridge, E. T. Winged Wonders: The Story of the Flying Wings. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1983. ISBN0-87474-966-2.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northrop N-9M.
History of the Flying Wing
Aviation Enthusiast Corner
April 30, 2023
northrop, approximately, third, scale, foot, span, wing, aircraft, used, development, full, size, foot, wingspan, northrop, flying, wing, long, range, heavy, bomber, first, flown, 1942, model, third, lineage, wing, northrop, aircraft, designs, that, began, 192. The Northrop N 9M was an approximately one third scale 60 foot 18 m span all wing aircraft used for the development of the full size 172 foot 52 m wingspan Northrop XB 35 and YB 35 flying wing long range heavy bomber First flown in 1942 the N 9M M for Model was the third in a lineage of all wing Northrop aircraft designs that began in 1929 when Jack Northrop succeeded in early experiments with his single pusher propeller twin tailed twin boom all stressed metal skin Northrop X 216H monoplane 1 and a decade later the dual propeller N 1M of 1939 1941 2 Northrop s pioneering all wing aircraft would lead Northrop Grumman many years later to eventually develop the advanced B 2 Spirit stealth bomber which debuted in 1989 in US Air Force inventory 3 N 9MThe restored N 9MB in 2014Role PrototypeManufacturer Northrop CorporationDesigner Jack NorthropFirst flight 27 December 1942Primary user United States Air ForceNumber built 4 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications N 9M 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksDesign and development EditOn 30 October 1941 the preliminary order for development of the B 35 Flying Wing bomber was confirmed including engineering testing and most importantly a 60 ft 18 m wingspan one third scale aircraft designated N 9M 4 It was to be used in gathering data on flight performance and for familiarizing pilots with the program s radical all wing design The first N 9M was ordered in the original contract but this was later expanded to three test aircraft in early 1943 A fourth was ordered a few months later after a crash of the first N 9M destroyed that airframe this fourth N 9M incorporated various flight test derived improvements and upgrades including different more powerful engines The four aircraft were designated N 9M 1 2 A and B respectively 5 The N 9M framework was partially constructed of wood to reduce its overall weight The wings outer surfaces were also skinned with a strong specially laminated plywood The central section roughly equivalent to the fuselage was made of welded tubular steel The aircraft were originally powered by two 290 hp 216 kW Menasco C6S 1 Buccaneer inverted air cooled straight six engines driving twin bladed propellers except for the N 9MB which was powered by two 300 hp 224 kW Franklin XO 540 7 engines 4 Operational history Edit The restored N 9MB Flying Wing at the Planes of Fame Air Museum The first flight of the N 9M occurred on 27 December 1942 with Northrop test pilot John Myers at the controls 6 During the next five months 45 flights were made Nearly all were terminated by various mechanical failures the Menasco engines being the primary source of the problems After roughly 22 5 hours of accumulated flight time the first N 9M crashed approximately 12 miles 19 km west of Muroc Army Air Base now Edwards Air Force Base on 19 May 1943 The pilot Max Constant was killed as he attempted to recover the aircraft from a right hand 60 nose down spin The investigation found that Constant had suffered control reversal the control column had been pressed against his chest during his recovery attempt from the steep spin preventing him from parachuting to safety Actions were taken to fix this problem and prevent it from happening on other N 9M test aircraft 6 When Northrop s Flying Wing bomber program was canceled all remaining N 9M flight test aircraft except for the final N 9MB were scrapped For more than three decades it slowly deteriorated until the Chino California Planes of Fame Air Museum acquired the aircraft in 1982 and began the labor intensive restoration process For the next two decades former Northrop employees and other volunteers restored the N 9MB to its final flight configuration 7 Since 1993 the yellow and blue Flying Wing has been exhibited with flight demonstrations at several airshows every year 8 In April 2006 the N 9MB suffered an in flight engine fire The aircraft was landed safely with limited damage Donations to the museum were solicited for its repair and the aircraft was fully repaired to flight status It was flown again during the annual Chino airshow on 15 16 May 2010 7 On 22 April 2019 the N 9MB was destroyed shortly after takeoff when it crashed into a prison yard in Norco California 9 The pilot was killed but no ground casualties were reported The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the crash to the pilot s loss of control for undetermined reasons stating that given the significant fragmentation of the wreckage the reason for the loss of control could not be determined 10 Specifications N 9M Edit The restored N 9MB Flying Wing being flown at Planes of Fame Air Museum s 2004 airshow Chino The museum flew their Flying Wing at several airshows per year General characteristics Crew 1 Length 17 ft 11 6 in 5 477 m Wingspan 60 ft 0 in 18 3 m Height 6 ft 7 in 2 m Wing area 490 sq ft 45 5 m2 Airfoil NACA 65 019 Empty weight 5 893 lb 2 673 kg Gross weight 13 946 lb 6 326 kg Powerplant 2 Menasco C6S 4 Buccaneer 6 cyl supercharged inverted air cooled in line piston engine 275 hp 205 kW eachPerformance Maximum speed 258 mph 415 km h 224 kn Range 500 mi 800 km 430 nmi Service ceiling 21 500 ft 6 600 m See also EditRelated development Northrop N 1 Northrop N 1M Northrop YB 35 Northrop YB 49Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Horten Ho 229 Armstrong Whitworth A W 52References EditNotes Edit Flying Wing Is Successful In first Tests Oor Mechanics May 1930 O Leary 2007 p 62 Parker 2013 p 93 a b O Leary 2007 p 65 Parker 2013 pp 93 102 106 a b O Leary 2007 p 66 a b O Leary 2007 p 68 Air amp Space Smithsonian October November 2003 Volume 18 Number 4 p 12 Plane Crashes in Prison Yard of Facility in Norco FAA KTLA Retrieved 22 April 2019 Aviation Accident Final Report WPR19FA118 Report National Transportation Safety Board May 5 2021 pp 1 2 Retrieved May 3 2022 Bibliography Edit Coleman Ted Jack Northrop and the Flying Wing The Real Story Behind the Stealth Bomber New York Paragon House 1988 ISBN 1 55778 079 X Donald David editor Northrop Flying Wings Encyclopedia of World Aircraft Etobicoke Ontario Prospero Books 1997 ISBN 1 85605 375 X Maloney Edward T Northrop Flying Wings Corona del Mar California World War II Publications 1988 ISBN 0 915464 00 4 O Leary Michael Northrop s Flying Sorcery Aeroplane Volume 35 Number 6 Issue 410 June 2007 pp 62 64 O Leary Michael The Shape of Wings to Come Aeroplane Volume 35 Number 6 Issue 410 June 2007 pp 65 68 O Leary Michael Wings of Northrop Part Two Air Classics Volume 44 Number 1 January 2008 Challenge Publications Inc ISSN 0002 2241 Heavily illustrated authoritative N 9M article New Flying Wing Plane Hailed as Great Advance In Aviation The Baltimore American newspaper Section E 9 February 1930 Front page feature article with two photos reporting on Northrop s flights with his first Flying Wing monoplane Parker Dana T Building Victory Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II Cypress California Dana Parker Enterprises 2013 ISBN 978 0 9897906 0 4 Pape Garry and John Campbell Northrop Flying Wings A History of Jack Northrop s Visionary Aircraft Atglen Pennsylvania Schiffer Publishing Ltd 1995 ISBN 0 88740 689 0 Wooldridge E T Winged Wonders The Story of the Flying Wings Washington D C Smithsonian Institution Press 1983 ISBN 0 87474 966 2 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northrop N 9M THE N9MB FLYING WING History of the Flying Wing Aviation Enthusiast Corner Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Northrop N 9M amp oldid 1145125975, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
