Horten IX restoration

[2wheels]

Just a link for those interested in this remarkable aircraft. The surviving example with the Smithsonian, is currently undergoing survey/ conservation work, prior to a move to the restoration facility at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

http://blog.nasm.si.edu/uncategorized/horten-h-ix-v3-bat-wing-ship-november-2013-update/

[Mike]

While they have it in bits, why doesn't someone build a replica to take to the airshows and fly? I'd pay to see that

[colin]

Bit confused reading the restoration blog, as they say that green paint that was found on the central plywood section was maybe coated with polyvinyal chloride, used to fireproof the wood, not the best of things to use as a fireproof coating I would have thought.

[Navy Bird]

I've read that there is some uncertainty whether the set of wings they have actually belong to the fuselage they have. There were several different variations of these babies under construction at the end of the war, not all the same. Apparently, when the wings were assembled to the fuselage for display back in 1950 (the black and white photo shown in the blog) the wings did not fit properly and had to be "kludged" to fit.

My favorite part of the black and white photo in the blog is the bottle of Coke that one of the two guys set down right near the front tyre.

Cheers,

Bill