The Northrop N-9M was a 'flying wing' design developed
by Jack Northrop. The N-9M was a development of the N-1M
which was a privately funded research aircraft.
By 1940 Northrop had managed to persuade the US defense
department to commission a 1/3rd scale test bed for the
B-35 flying wing bomber. This aircraft was the N-9M-1.
In total four N-9M's were built, the N-9M-1, N-9M2, N-9M-A
and N-9M-B. The first aircraft flew in December 1942 but
was lost in a crash in 1943, tragically the pilot, Max
Constant was killed.
The Northrop N-9M was consisted of a steel tube centre
section which housed the pilot, however wood was used
for a large part of the aircraft to reduce weight. Initially
the aircraft was powered by two 290 hp Menasco C65-1 engines,
driving two-bladed propellers. The N-9M-B later upgraded
to 400 hp Franklin engines.
The Northrop N-9M proved useful in helping to train XB-35
and XB-49 pilots however once the US Army canceled the
XB-35 program all but the final (N-9M-B) aircraft were
scrapped.
The N-9M-B currently resides in the Chino Planes of Fame
Air Museum.
Images of the Northrop N-9M-B by Bernardo Malfitano.
Similar and related vehicles:
Terrafugia Transition
Moller M400 Skycar
PALV
Avrocar
Bell X-22
NASA AD-1
Convair XFY-1 POGO
H-4 Spruce Goose
Messerschmitt Me 323 gigant
Leduc Ramjet
Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne
Gossamer Albatross
Saab 210 'Lill Draken'
Curtiss-Wright X-19
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