Flying Wing History
The Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing was a jet-powered flying wing bomber
with a maiden flight of October 21, 1947. At Muroc Air Force Base, CA,
in 1948, Air Force Major Daniel Forbes, co-pilot Captain Glenn Edwards, and the entire crew
were killed while test flying a YB-49. In descending from an altitude of 40000 feet,
the wing panels were given off, and the aircraft disintegrated.
Muroc AFB was renamed Edwards AFB in December of 1949 in honor of the co-pilot who
was a native of California. Throughout its history, the YB-49 design had
stability difficulties and a series of accidents, which eventually led to the termination of the program.
Related Pages:
Airplane Gallery
Wing Area Gallery
LIFT Home Page
Aeronautics Activities
Aerospace Activities Page
Aerodynamics Index
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