Horten H.V

The Horten H.V was a German experimental flying wing designed and built by the twin brothers Reimar and Walter Horten during World War II. First flown in December 1942, the H.V represented the culmination of the Horten brothers’ work on tailless, all‑wing aircraft, following earlier models such as the H.I, H.II, H.III and H.IV. Constructed mainly of wood and plywood with a modest 140‑horsepower Argus As 10 air‑cooled engine, the H.V featured a sleek, cantilever wing of 13.2 m span, a fully integrated cockpit, and a distinctive twin‑tail boom that housed the engine and propeller shaft. Its design emphasized low drag, high lift‑to‑drag ratio and inherent stability, allowing it to achieve a maximum speed of about 340 km/h and a service ceiling near 6 500 m. Although only a few prototypes were completed before the war ended, the H.V demonstrated the practical feasibility of the flying‑wing concept and influenced post‑war designs such as the Northrop YB‑35 and the modern B‑2 Spirit. The Horten brothers’ innovative approach to aerodynamics and structural simplicity secured the H.V’s place as a milestone in the evolution of unconventional aircraft.

Horten brothers

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Design & Classification