In
early 1930s, Horten brothers had interested in the flying-wing
design as a method of improving the performance of airplane. Several Horten flying-wing gliders were built and tested. In 1943,
Reichsmarschall Goring issued a request for the design proposals to
produce a fighter/bomber that called 3x1000 project. Horten submitted
the Ho.IX flying-wing jet fighter design. Goring believed in the design
and ordered 40 production aircrafts. In 1944, RLM issued a requirement
for a bomber able to fly from Germany to New York and back without
refueling. Goring asked Horten to make a presentation for their Amerika
Bomber. Horten proposed six jet-engines Ho.XVIII flying-wing bomber that
was the scaled-up Ho.IX design. In early 1945, Ho.XVIII was approved to
build in Junkers plant. Horten were told to work with the Junkers and
Messerschmitt engineers. However, the engineers committee was unwilling
to go with the Horten's design, and changed its configuration. Horten
brothers unaccepted with the modification and left the committee. They
redesigned the Ho.XVIIIb bomber but the end of the war came with no
progress.
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