Northrop XB/YB-35, YB-49 and YRB-49

[Thlaylie]

Don't mean to necro a thread but,

Does anyone know what's in the lower astrodome on the XB-35?

Did it penetrate the crew deck? If so it would be under the radioman's chair?

Hello Justo! I have a few of your models and enjoy the periodic newsletters as well.

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Don't mean to necro a thread but,

Does anyone know what's in the lower astrodome on the XB-35?

Did it penetrate the crew deck? If so it would be under the radioman's chair?

Hello Justo! I have a few of your models and enjoy the periodic newsletters as well.

The XB-35 did not have a ventral astrodome because you couldn't see the stars from such a position for navigation fixes (what an astrodome is for). But the forward ventral bulge was a turret for four 12.7mm MGs, as the turret wasn't fitted on the XB-35 a similar shaped shroud was there for aerodynamic replication purposes. On the production B-35 aft of this turret was to be a retractable Sperry type ball turret for a bottom gunner. This turret wasn't to have weapons but provide remote control gunnery for the three ventral turrets. Aft of the ball turret was the bottom apperture for the tail gunner's periscope sight.

 

[edwest4]

"...Jack conferred with the Honeywell people who designed an autopilot adapted to a yaw damper in series, powered by four servo motors." "It was the first time an autopilot designed especially for the plane was used to power aircraft controls, to augment directional stability by artificial means. The use of 'Little Herbert,' an autopilot to help fly the YB-49 was but another innovative application of new technology by Jack Northrop."

Source: Jack Northrop and the Flying Wing - The Real Story Behind the Stealth Bomber, by Ted Coleman with Robert Wenkam.

 

[Thlaylie]

Here is a diagram I got off the web.

I circled the dome in question:

(I would love the index to this image's diagram!)

It appears on several pics:

There are pics without the lower dome as well?

 

[Retrofit]

It seems the lower transparency for the lower forward sighting station:

 

[Thlaylie]

Thank You for the reply and info.

Hmmm, It becomes a bit problematic in the model's cockpit:

Also, where did you get that picture? I can't seem to find it in my parts and pilots manuals?

 

[Abraham Gubler]

It seems the lower transparency for the lower forward sighting station:

Yes it is. There are two periscope stations on the XB-35 one of which is double ended (top and bottom). For some reason earlier on I posted that the double ended station was the aft one but clearly it is the forward station. There is a diagram in the book "Northrop's Flying Wings" that details all the planned defensive positions in the production B-35. Will have to scan it in and post it here, but can't right now.

 

[Stargazer]

I have been unsuccessful so far in trying to locate that ventral bubble in Northrop's original manuals for the XB-35.

Meanwhile, here's what can be found on the upper astrodome:

 

[Stargazer]

More pics of the cockpit area from Northrop's Maintenance Manuals. Oddly the "bubble" in question cannot be seen in any of these, which only adds to the mystery...

 

[Thlaylie]

There is indeed a top and bottom periscope in the rear position:

There is a position forward of that with a bottom view peiscope as well.

The forward periscope protrudes from the canopy on the opposite side from the lower dome which is directly under the astrodome.

Indeed a mystery?

I would like more data on the proposed Sperry ball turret installation. Would the rear periscope be too limited in it's viewing area?

 

[Abraham Gubler]

There is indeed a top and bottom periscope in the rear position:

There is a position forward of that with a bottom view peiscope as well.

The forward periscope protrudes from the canopy on the opposite side from the lower dome which is directly under the astrodome.

Indeed a mystery?

I would like more data on the proposed Sperry ball turret installation. Would the rear periscope be too limited in it's viewing area?

Looking at Northrop's Flying Wings and there is no clear indication to what this ventral glass bubble is. It isn't part of the defensive armament system as my memory was right first time and the double ended periscope is aft.

Some early roll out pictures of the XB-35 show that this ventral bubble hasn't been fitted. So it would appear to have been installed during the flight test program.

As to the defensive system I will scan a few more pics in a few days. The three stations were 'upper forward' behind the pilot, 'lower rear' in the ventral ball and 'rear double-ended' at the tail. The tail position could only control the tail guns and the ventral ball would control the lower wing and lower cabin turrets, likewise the 'upper forward' would control the upper turrets. Some drawings show the 'lower rear' position controlled via a third persicope rather than the ball.

 

[Thlaylie]

Does anyone have any pics or diagrams of the proposed ball turret?

 

[JFC Fuller]

On that same topic, has anybody seen any reference as to how much the defensive armament (20 x .50 cal) was to be retained in any jet/turboprop powered bomber version?

 

[Thlaylie]

On the AMT/ Ertl model the ventral dome is referred to as a "Navigational Blister" as is the dorsal one.

 

[Triton]

http://youtu.be/kuIFvNA1UgU

 

[Triton]

"Aircraft Descriptive Data Northrop YB-49" dossier

"Aircraft Descriptive Data Northrop YB-49" dossier found on eBay.

Source:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MORTHROP-YB-49-AIRCRAFT-DESCRIPTIVE-DATA-/290769418244?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b3353804

 

[Triton]

Re: "Aircraft Descriptive Data Northrop YB-49" dossier

"Aircraft Descriptive Data Northrop YB-49" dossier found on eBay.

 

[Boxman]

http://youtu.be/kuIFvNA1UgU

Looks like this was originally filmed in color. Here's what appears to be source of the clip, "The Story of the Flying Wing," posted by the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives (SDASM) at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_NehU6fMWY

 

[Pioneer]

There is indeed a top and bottom periscope in the rear position:

Wow I never knew of these defensive gun turrets on the XB-35!!

Thanks for sharing!!

Regards
Pioneer

 

[fightingirish]

Cutaway Northrop YB-49 & XB-35 “Flying Wings” by Mike Badrocke at sobchak.wordpress.com.


Slightly larger as in reply #15 by Justo Miranda.

 

[malipa]

Why on earth did they stop these programmes and go for the B-52. With new engine technology these aircraft could have an even better range, and the other specifications are way better.

 

[Peebo-Thulhu]

In regards to a wonderful machine.

Does any one have any idea as to why it seems that the whole wing was redesigned to take jet engines and their ducting internaly as opposed to just 'podding' the engines on the structure that held the reciprocating engines propellers?

I apologize if my meaning is not quite clear.

Very much cheers to all.

 

[sferrin]

Why on earth did they stop these programmes and go for the B-52. With new engine technology these aircraft could have an even better range, and the other specifications are way better.

They had tiny bomb bays for one thing. Very little clearance beneath for another.

 

[Bill Walker]

They were also very unstable in pitch. Northrop had developed a full time pitch stability augmentation system, analog vacuum tube computers, but people were very unsure of things like that at the time.

 

[Speedy]

Have you any information about B-35 and B-49 bomb load configuration? Unfortunately, I found only one combination: 32 x 1600 lb AP bomb for XB-35 (maximum bombload).

 

[Triton]

NORTHROP AIRCRAFT YB-49 FLYING WING PROMOTIONAL FILM 8245

Published on Nov 7, 2012

This rare promotional film discusses the merits of the Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com

https://youtu.be/eG4E55Havyc

 

[Triton]

YB-35

Published on Mar 18, 2015

More than 70 years old and still way ahead of its time. Northrop Grumman’s YB-35 was the world’s first tailless, blended-wing aircraft, the foundation for today’s modern stealth bomber.

https://youtu.be/UDCpj5dieGg

 

[Triton]

Monster Northrop Flying Wing (1946)

Uploaded on Jan 5, 2010

Courtesy: Universal Newsreels

(1) "Inglewood CA: A new chapter in aviation development is written as the twenty-five-ton Northrup flying wing takes to the air. The tailless craft has a wing span of 172 feet and will weigh fifty tons fully loaded

https://youtu.be/nlYnou2mvSM

 

[bobbymike]

Monster Northrop Flying Wing (1946)

Uploaded on Jan 5, 2010

Courtesy: Universal Newsreels

(1) "Inglewood CA: A new chapter in aviation development is written as the twenty-five-ton Northrup flying wing takes to the air. The tailless craft has a wing span of 172 feet and will weigh fifty tons fully loaded

https://youtu.be/nlYnou2mvSM

While I was still a couple of decades from being born I sure love these old videos. It just seems like we had a 'can accomplish anything' mentality and even failure won't stop us from the continuous pursuit of technological advance.

 

[hesham]

And from the member Ryan Crierie,


here is the Northrop YB-35B and YRB-49A drawings.


http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2184164

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Thanks to the marvels of Ebay and Mark Nankivil:

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/FlyingWingsNorthrop.pdf

 

[Sundog]

Thank you.

 

[Skyraider3D]

NACA reports give the airfoils for the YB-49 as 65(318)-019 (root) and 65,3-018 (tip). The latter airfoil is very well covered, but I can't find any information on the shape (ordinates) of the root profile.

How does the 65(318)-019 airfoil differ from 65,3-019?

 

[Skyraider3D]

On the YB-49 there is a strange kink in the leading egde. The XB-35 doesn't seem to have it. Anyone know what causes this?

 

[Skyraider3D]

The answer to my question above is: it covers the former XB-35 air intake, which was a lot larger. This drawing shows it too. Does anyone have a larger copy of it, by any chance?

 

[fightingirish]

Looks like a model of the Northrop EB-35B flying wing testbed for the Northrop-Hendy XT37 Turbodyne turboprop engine.

https://flic.kr/p/2j5YcuX

 

[GTX]

Interesting.

 

[GTX]

Some interesting details:

Images from Aviation Historian 02

 

[blackkite]

Hi N-9M.
The N-9M was built in 1944 as an experimental aircraft by Northrop to make a flying wing strategic bomber called XB-35.

 

[TomS]

Unfortunately, this aircraft, the last remaining N9M, crashed last year. The pilot was killed and the aircraft destroyed.