Northrop YB-35
Northrop · United States · first flew 1946 · bomber
The Northrop YB-35 was an American experimental flying-wing heavy bomber powered by eight piston engines driving contra-rotating pusher propellers, representing Jack Northrop's vision of a pure all-wing aircraft. Its radical design foreshadowed the later B-2 Spirit.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Pure flying-wing heavy bomber with no fuselage or tail |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Pure flying-wing heavy bomber with no fuselage or tail
- Eight contra-rotating pusher propellers (capped at 4 engines in count)
- Massive 172-ft span all-wing silhouette
Enormous tailless flying wing with a smooth upper surface, subtle wing sweep, and eight pusher propellers emerging from the trailing edge — no discernible fuselage or empennage.
Specifications
- The Northrop YB-35 has a length of 16.18 m (53 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 52.43 m (172 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 629 km/h (391 mph).
- Typical crew: 9.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Northrop began work on a flying-wing bomber during World War II under a USAAF contract, with the first YB-35 flying in June 1946. Persistent gearbox and propeller vibration problems plagued the programme, and the advent of jet engines quickly made the piston-powered design obsolete. Only two prototypes flew before the project was cancelled in favour of the jet-powered YB-49.
Variants
The YB-49 was a direct jet-powered derivative replacing all eight piston engines with eight Allison J35 turbojets embedded in the wing.
Where you'll see it
Never entered operational service; both flying examples were scrapped after the programme cancellation in 1949.
Related aircraft
- Northrop F-89 Scorpion
- Northrop XF-89 Scorpion
- Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet
- P-61 Black Widow
- Convair B-36 Peacemaker
- Douglas XB-43 Jetmaster
- FMA I.Ae. 24 Calquín
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.