XB-35
Flying-wing aircraft have fascinated me for a long time. When I was quite young I recall seeing a large flying-wing bomber on a TV news program. They were probably covering the cancellation of the Northrop XB-35/YB-49 project. This brief glimpse of such a graceful aircraft has stayed with me for more than 40 years. As a youngster I played with the usual assortment of airplanes: gliders, control-line airplanes, and simple RC models. Fond memories persist of my father and I walking into Tony and Addie Naccarato's Hobby Lobby in Burbank, California, and coming out with some kits and single-channel RC gear-for about $100. "Don't tell Mom how much we spent," I still recall my father saying. I enjoyed the hobby very much, even though my flying success was quite limited. The pursuit of education and earning a living stepped in and took me away from the hobby. One day a few years ago I ran into a copy of the book The Flying Wings of Northrop in a used bookstore. Here were the details of the Northrop XB-35 (propeller) and YB-49 (jet) flying-wing bombers that I remembered. I was fascinated once again.
