The only one of its kind, nothing remains of the final prototype of the XB-35.
I thought flying wings weren’t possible until computer technology has developed to enable rapid adjustments to overcome their inherent instability?
They are definitely possible, though admittedly they do have some rather undesirable flying characteristics (pitch and yaw issues, for example).
Wikipedia has a long list of flying wing aircraft, many of which were built long before the availability of computerized flight controls:
That is sad news. At least I got to see it in person at the museum several years ago.
Incidentally, there are still a few chunks of the last YB49 on display at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater CA.
Well, I suppose that’s how we all came to be in this thread.
Am I correct that this XB-35 prototype was actually built entirely of wood? Was that normal for airplane prototypes at that time?
Another flying wing design, the Nazi Ho 229 is being restored at the Air & Space Museum annex. The process is viewable to the public.
This one dates from the Second World War (Horten Ho 229).
(edit: ninja’d)
Not entirely.
From here:
It was a 1/3rd scale version to test the aerodynamics and such and to familiarize the test pilots with how it flew, so for that purpose the wood construction makes sense. It wasn’t anything close to a full scale prototype.
The hard part must have been finding the 1/3 scale pilots.
Just use children.
If I was in a prison yard in Norco, Ca, I would lay awake dreaming of being killed by a Flying Wing. 