No Freeman Photo

The second incomplete prototype of the Ho-VI flying-wing sailplane was surrendered at Bad Hersfeld and later shipped to Freeman Field in 1947 it was 'bailed' to Northrop for study by pupils at Northrop Aeronautical Institute Inc. The petition for the loan of the aircraft was made jointly by Northrop and the Southern California Soaring Association. All three Horten sailplanes arrived at Northrop's Hawthorne facility on 22nd October 1947.

The Northrop concern had pioneered flying-wing design in the USA and the Horten sailplanes were therefore of particular interest to the company. A report on the Ho VI design was prepared by Stanley A. Hall, an employee of Northrop who was himself later to become prominent as a sailplane designer in the USA. Although it had been hoped to make flight tests with the Horten designs, they were judged to be in too bad a state of repair to be made airworthy.

The Ho VI was later transferred to the Smithsonian Institution and is currently in store with the NASM facility at Silver Hill, Maryland. This prototype of the Horten Ho VI has never flown, although the earlier Ho VI-V1 flew in 1944.

"War Prizes" by Phil Butler, page 230

James D. West
www.IndianaMilitary.org
Host106th@106thInfDivAssn.org