Northrop MX-324
Northrop Corporation · United States · first flew 1944 · fighter
The Northrop MX-324 was the first American rocket-powered aircraft to fly, a small flying-wing glider converted to carry a JATO rocket motor in 1944.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × rocket, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Pure flying-wing layout with no fuselage or tail surfaces |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Pure flying-wing layout with no fuselage or tail surfaces
- Prone-pilot cockpit blended into the wing leading edge
- Rocket exhaust exits at the wing trailing centre
The aircraft is unmistakable: a smooth, crescent-shaped all-wing platform with no fuselage projection, no tail, and no propeller. The prone-pilot blister is the only feature breaking the wing's clean upper surface.
Specifications
- The Northrop MX-324 has a length of 4.27 m (14 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.58 m (38 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 370 km/h (230 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 (prone).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed under an Army Air Forces contract as a proof-of-concept for all-wing aircraft, the MX-324 began life as an unpowered glider (XCG-1A). On 5 July 1944 at Muroc Dry Lake, test pilot Harry Crosby made the first powered flight using an Aerojet XCAL-200 rocket motor, achieving a speed of about 370 km/h and demonstrating the flying-wing concept's viability at a time when Northrop was pursuing the larger XB-35 bomber.
Variants
Three glider airframes were built; only one was flown under rocket power. The aerodynamic research fed directly into Northrop's larger N-9M flying-wing testbed programme.
Where you'll see it
The MX-324 never entered service; it was a research vehicle. It survives today in the collection of the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards Air Force Base.
Related aircraft
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