Horten Ho 229 - Spirit of Thuringia

Reaching speeds approaching 800 kph in prototype form, the Horten Ho 229 'Nurfl gel' - 'all wing' was one of the most enigmatic aircraft projects to emerge from World War II and is seen, in terms of design, as a precursor of the 'stealth' concept. Developed from a series of tailless Horten glider designs, the Ho 229 was planned as the first of the 'next-generation' jet fighters for the Luftwaffe. Following on from the Messerschmitt Me 262 it was designed as a highspeed, cannon-equipped, all-weather fighter-bomber, heavy fighter, night fighter and reconnaissance aircraft with plans for airfield strike operations over England in late 1944/early 1945. Unlike the Me 262, the distinctive, batshaped Ho 229 was capable of operating from grass airfields and of carrying the same armament as the Messerschmitt jet, but also possessing a range comparable to that of the Arado Ar 234 jet bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. It was also to be fitted with the latest radar and radio systems and a pilot ejector seat. Later plans included long-range bomber designs capable of attacking the east coast of North America. With emphasis on the build and structure and featuring the most extensive set of accurate scale drawings ever produced by internationally acclaimed draughtsman Arthur Bentley, this book represents the most thorough technical study of the Ho 229 ever produced and will appeal to historians and modelers alike.