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This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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a void in bomber history......... we need a b-49 flying wing

Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:29 am

watched a documentary re: the b-49 flying wing last night. there all gone now. turned into grannie's refrigerator. the usaf museum or the smithsonian needs to make a full scale repro sans powerplants to put into a museum for proper representation of the type to represent the missing link in bomber evolution. sad that nobody had the foresight to save an original.

Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:31 am

oh yeah, which type??? contra rotating props?? or jet engines?? i'll vote for the props, more radical looking.

Sat Sep 01, 2007 7:16 am

Well if it's got props, then it's a B-35, not a B-49... :)

Either way, if you want to build one from scratch, have at it. All of the aircraft were unceremoniously scrapped at the termination of the YB-49 contract.

Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:20 am

Scrapped into pieces small enough to be carried from the Northrop ramp in dump trucks. By order of the Secretary of the AF Stuart Symington. All the pieces were taken to an undisclosed location. The Smithsonian and AF Museum each wanted one but the request was denied. Wasn't lack of foresight that kept one from being saved.

Sat Sep 01, 2007 10:36 am

sounds somewhat like the fate of the avro arrow.

Sat Sep 01, 2007 10:44 am

The N1M and an N9M were both saved. You can even see the N9M fly (once the left engine has completed overhaul). Thanks to Ed Maloney at Planes of Fame for having the foresight to save the N9M! Doubt you would ever see an XB-35 or a YB-49 fly anymore even if one did still exist.
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