Horten Ho 229 Spirit of Thuringia: The Horten All-Wing Jet Fighter

(This review is for the 2006 Ian Allen edition, which I can't compare directly with any of the Crecy reprints)Writing a detailed operational history of the Ho 229 (or H IX, if you prefer) might be the easier task ever assigned to an aviation history - after all, none saw combat, the sole powered example flew three times before fatally crashing, and the only surviving example is unfinished and still awaiting restoration. So little is known about the type that its potential capabilities have always been exaggerated, with the popular image of it inevitably being a hyper-maneuverable, virtually unstoppable wunderwaffen with stealth technology.Thankfully, the authors have taken a much more grounded, sober approach to the subject. We're given the impression the Ho 229 could have eventually become a decent interceptor or light bomber, but still, a difficult aircraft to handle and certainly NOT a war-winning super weapon. The first third focuses mainly on the earlier gliders and flying wings designed by the Horten brothers, with numerous sidebars on the aerodynamic problems associated with flying wings, and details of other jet-powered flying wings under consideration in the last two years of the war are scattered throughout. At 128 pages, dedicated readers can read it cover-to-cover in a few hours, and it feels brutally efficient in comparison to some of the more self-indulgent Classic titles.For a slim book about an aircraft that hardly flew, it's also amazingly well illustrated. The real highlight is the 20 pages of exquisitely detailed line drawings by Arthur Bentley, including exterior views of the three prototypes and the unbuilt production version, along with cutaway images, and elaborate sectional views of the fuselage and wing structure. We also get rare photos and diagrams of most of the Horten's earlier craft, sketches of unbuilt designs, images of the Ho 229 being built and tested, including many detailed close-up views, a large number of photos of the unfinished third prototype after it arrived in the US, and a few computer-rendered technical artworks by Andrei Shepelev.Although the low page count precludes it from behind a definitive, end-all doorstop of a book, there's still plenty to recommend about "Spirit of Thuringia." If you just want to know about the Hortens, their designs, and the Ho 229 in particular, without any extraneous BS, it's a good place to start.

(UPDATE - 23 Mar 2015)A couple of months ago I saw evidence that the book was again available but Amazon's product description continued to make reference to its original publication date - so I wasn't completely sure if the book was again available.After some procrastinating on my part I ordered a copy within the past couple of weeks and it arrived today. The publication data shows that the book was originally published in 2006, with a first reprint in 2014 and then a second reprint in 2015.I am very pleased to now have a copy of the book. The photographs and drawings are excellent. (It makes you wonder how much money and effort it would take to build a working replica of the Ho229 (with perhaps some modern longitudinal stability augmentation as needed) and find out what it would really do - put-to-rest all the rumors and guesses that have been floating around for the past 70 years.)----------------------------------------------------------------(My original review from 2011)This book will fascinate anyone interested in the Horten Ho-IX flying wing but unfortunately it seems to have become essentially unavailable. Late last year (2010) I was able to obtain a copy using the lending-library feature available at my local public library (the borrowed book came from a public library in Louisiana). I was grateful that my local library was able to locate a copy but I was sad when it had to be returned.The book is worth hunting to find a copy of as there are pictures and text in it that I had not seen anywhere else.

For the longest time this book was priced anywhere from $200 - $1,000 dollars. Fortunately they started reprinting this book and now mere mortals can afford to add it to their collection. I think just about anyone who has any knowledge of aviation history has to be completely amazed at the technology developed and in development by the Germans during WWII. Makes you wonder how it was possible to have all that engineering talent so concentrated and then a government which was not afraid of funding what would have seemed like far out ideas at the time. If you are a fan of Horten flying wing aircraft this is the book to own. With all of the photos and technical drawings an ambitious individual could recreate one with the amount of information provided here. Just wish video footage of the test flights were available.

Excellent trader. Quick delivery, good price. The packaging was excellent so the book arrived in pristine condition even after the travel to NZ.

It's a great book, it gives you the history of Horton Brothers desires to build flying wing aircraft. From gliders to prototypes of the real aircraft that they built and tested, a Horton Ho 229 V3 is at the Mary Baker Engen Restoration for public viewing(part of the Smithsonian). This is aircraft was studied by Northrop because of it stealth characteristics, which help in the design of the B-2 Spirit.

An excellent book on the development of the 'flying wing' from a German point of view! The illustrations and captions show rare information not easily found!! I wasn't aware that the Smithsonian Institute of the Aeronautics had an example in storage!! I hope they will restore this unique piece of history to the public soon!!! A unusual addition to my World War Two collection!!

... and just the right amount of writing - this book has got the mix right.Researching this little known family of aircraft that must have taken the writers years to research, and not to be content with that, the authors uncovered the Dunne D.5, a British WW1 era tailless swept wing biplane -in the introduction ... an even more obscure aircraft.No mention of the Northrop wings in there, so this is history of European flying wings.The main driver was for drag reduction and maximising the range of the aircraft not stealth.If you like unusual aircraft you should buy this.

good job!

Classic publications produces excellent books on WW2 Luftwaffe aircraft, and this book is no exception. It has fewer pages than others in the series, but each page is a wealth of information. The book describes development of the Horten brothers gliders that culminate in the Ho229. The development of glider types is integral to understanding how the Hortens designed and built this radical jet. The story is well told, and interesting to read. The technical details are displayed through drawings and photographs.The book will make an excellent addition your library.

Great book on the Ho229, fantastic detail drawings. A must have if you love the Ho229.

旧ドイツ空軍の技術力を表すＨｏ２２９の勇姿を余す事無く表した一冊です。この技術は現在の米空軍：Ｂ－２にも受け継がれているものです。

fast delivery good product