Reimar Horten Biography in Images

Born in Germany in the year 1915 during the First World War, Reimar Horten showed from a very early age to be a child prodigy. His passion for flight would over time turn him into one of the most accomplished aircraft designers of the 20th century. At only 23 years of age he built and flew a glider that adopted the revolutionary structure of the "flying wing" profile, unique within its genre. His hand held by the father of fluid dynamics theory, the legendary Ludwig Prandtl, he perfected the calculation of flying wing lift turning them into perfect flying machines. A few months before the end of the Second World War he constructed a jet aircraft, a machine considered by many to be the most sophisticated of its day, the Ho IX. It was during this period, that like his colleague the eminent Alexander Lippisch, he began the construction of the first aircraft in history specifically designed to break the sound barrier. Starting with the German defeat in May 8th 1945, Horten was not only forgotten but also scrubbed from the partisan official history of aviation. His most advanced designs were swiftly confiscated by the winners, who capitalized and arrogantly took credit for his technological advances. Barely and only superficially known is the vast production of aircraft that took place post war in Argentina at the Cordoba Military Aircraft Factory. It was during the last years of his life that he designed the general lines and basic concepts of what would become the most expensive and sophisticated design of the 20th century, the B-2 Stealth Bomber. Through this publication, the author and his collaborators intend to elevate, without omission or subterfuge, Reimar Horten's rightful place in the history of world aviation. He was without a doubt a formidable pioneer in the conquest of the air.