Horten 229 in Garber Bldg 10

[N77657]

The NASM blog http://blog.nasm.si.edu/ has provided some more information on the Horten 229 conservation. Nothing really important, but there is a 1950 photo of the aircraft fully assembled. There was some discussio earlier about whether the wigs a fuselage actually matched - they were found in different locations. Apparently they do.

I guess I don't understand the comment about the wings fitting the fuselage. It seems to me that it would be hard to not recognize the wings of a 229 even if they were found in a different location (at Garber or in Germany?). Does this imply that more than one Horten 229 was recovered and brought to the US after the war?

Bill K

[shrike]

The NASM blog http://blog.nasm.si.edu/ has provided some more information on the Horten 229 conservation. Nothing really important, but there is a 1950 photo of the aircraft fully assembled. There was some discussio earlier about whether the wigs a fuselage actually matched - they were found in different locations. Apparently they do.

I guess I don't understand the comment about the wings fitting the fuselage. It seems to me that it would be hard to not recognize the wings of a 229 even if they were found in a different location (at Garber or in Germany?). Does this imply that more than one Horten 229 was recovered and brought to the US after the war?

Bill K

That's what happened to their and Champlain's 190D's. Wings were mixed up for a while. The Horten never made it to series production and each example was a prototype, so hand fitting would be the norm.

[Marauderman26]

what a show stopper!! that will be 1 of the crown jewels in the collection representing ground breaking technology!!

You're absolutely right Tom, definitely a one of a kind Jewel to watch coming together!

[old iron]

The most recent NASM blog has more information on the Horton 229. See http://blog.nasm.si.edu/. It appears that the fuselage will be making it to the Udvar Hazy restoration building soon.

[Left Seat]

The NASM blog was interesting.

I am glad that they are "studying four different aspects of the materials used to build the jet: wood, adhesives, metals, and coatings".

Jay Leno once remarked about automobile restoration that a vehicle could only be original once. So, do you conserve or restore? Do you drag your feet until it rots in to nothing while trying to make up your mind?

Sometimes, I think the NASM is being too academic in their studies. It is good to be cautious, but look at the degradation to the plane that has occurred over the years. Kudos to them at least for trying to stabilize the plane.

The flip side is what the NMUSAF has done with the Swoose. I have warmed up to the bathtub turret.

The English used furniture and cabinet makers to construct the Mosquito. I'm sure the Germans did the same thing when they built the 229.

I would hope that in addition to their "in house" conservators, that the NASM would be consulting with people that actually built and/or restored Danish "modern" bent plywood furniture of the 1940's through 1960's. These people know how to laminate and press plywood.

Eastern Europe luthiers know the science of the local woods and they work with it.

The Enterprise shuttle craft "Galileo" was restored by shipwrights.

It seems logical to choose people from those industries that actually touch the wood and work with the wood to be consultants.

But then again, maybe they already have.

[Left Seat]

Did you ever want to build your own Horten-IX/Gotha 229?

Available from Gotha, Germany on eBay:

"GO-229/Horten-IX" flaps:
1. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GO229-HO229-Horten-IX-prototype-flap-1945-flying-wing-foo-fighter-german-Gotha-/191264985844?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c884812f4
2. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nurflugel-Horten-IX-prototype-flap-HO229-GO229-1945-flying-wing-german-/191271694240?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c88ae6fa0

"GO-229/Horten-IX" elevons:
1. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Horten-IX-prototype-elevon-GO229-HO2291945-flying-wing-foo-fighter-area-51-/191271695599?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c88ae74ef
2. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GO229-HO229-Horten-IX-prototype-elevon-1945-flying-wing-german-aircraft-/191264986810?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c884816ba

They've built planes around data plates... here's your chance to build one around flaps and elevons.

[old iron]

Hmm, the two elevons and two flaps can all be purchased for barely $500,000. I am surprised none has bought this yet.

[Left Seat]

Seems like a bargain to me...

[tom d. friedman]

only a schmuck would drop that kind of money for something w/ no provenince to back it up. when you take the letter ''s" off the word scrap............. what do you get???

[old iron]

Tom Freidman wrote:

when you take the letter ''s" off the word scrap............. what do you get???

Tom, that is a good one that I have never heard before. Thanks!

Kevin

[tom d. friedman]

i'm in the jewelry business, all the hype about places that will buy your gold for big $$$$$ don't tell you that the other metals in dead granny's wedding ring must be extracted to get to the pure gold. same holds true in the regular scrap biz. I've brokered some big aviation collections, when somebody tells me lindy sat in this seat you better have the provinence of his ass cheeks on the seat verified. I tried to broker some Hindenburg girders, I knew they were real, but w/ out actual documentation all it was nothing but scrap / crap. the seller would not budge & he never sold the stuff.

[Steve Nelson]

I spent the day at Udvar-Hazy Thursday. Here's what was visible of the Horten from the observation deck overlooking the restoration center.

SN

[old iron]

The third photo (next to the Kikka) is the Lippisch DM-1 glider version of an unbuilt ramjet design. This was in an opened crate until recently so we are now getting the first view of this craft in more than 50 years. This was on more prominent display but has now been relegated to the "backroom" of the Baker restoration facility.

The Lippisch was built with a tall vertical surface but this was changed to a different configuration for American wind-tunnel testing, and once opened I think NASM came to realize that the vertical surface would have to be rebuilt from scratch. I understand that the original crew working on this were sent to other duties and have subsequently retired, so it may be a long time before this aircraft is completed for display.

This is in many ways as interesting and historic as the Ho.229, as the DM-1 may be a direct ancestor of subsequent delta-wing design (F-106, Concord et al.). I do not know what the longterm display plans for the 229 might be at UH, but these should be displayed together. I would like to see them go where the FW.190 is presently, with the DM-1 hanging above the 229 in close company with the Horton gliders. The FW.190 should I think be displayed on the other side of the arch in close company with the NASM FW.190D and Ta.152, near the He.219. Boy what a nice display that would make!

[Steve Nelson]

The third photo (next to the Kikka) is the Lippisch DM-1 glider version of an unbuilt ramjet design. This was in an opened crate until recently so we are now getting the first view of this craft in more than 50 years. This was on more prominent display but has now been relegated to the "backroom" of the Baker restoration facility.

Thanks for the correction. I assumed it was the Ho-229 center section, since I had never seen the aircraft in real life.

SN

[Marauderman26]

Horten Ho 229 V3 WEBPAGE is UP.

http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/horten-ho-229-v3/