Thought I’d share the following with you, which was posted on the LEMB by member & Ho229 expert Huib Ottens:
In our book “Horten 229, Spirit of Thuringia” by Classic Publications 2006 we (Andrei Shepelev and Huib Ottens) have given our conclusions regarding the “stealthyness” of the Ho229 in the last chapter “Invisible Legacy”.
As part of our research I have spent 3 days with Professor Karl Nickel (sadly passed away this year) and his wife (the sister of Walter and Reimar Horten). Both were directly involved in the development of the H IX / Ho229 and other Horten flying wings.
During our conversations the stealth subject was discussed. Karl Nickel clearly stated that stealth was not a design-parameter for the H IX/Ho229. The use of wood as the main construction material and the flying wing shape of the aircraft just followed the design and construction philosophy of the Horten brothers, as displayed in their line of flying wing designs that started in 1933 with the Horten H I. The carbon or charcoal-glue mixture was only used as porous filler to lighten the composite formed parts.
So our conclusion is and remains that all the stealth-characteristics of the Ho229 are purely accidental, despite all post-war statements made by Reimar Horten and all the attempts to rewrite the Ho229 history. I just wonder: Is the concept, design, development, construction and testing of an all-wing, jet-engined fighter-aircraft in the WW II era not revolutionary and astonishing enough?
Nurflügel Forever!
Huib
Quite nicely puts the stealth aspect of the Ho229 into context I think, despite what other authors may try to tell us 🙂
Cheers
Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator
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