Nazi Germany produced numerous technologically advanced vehicles, which continued to be widely popular even after the end of WWII. The Horten Ho 229 V3 is an example of an aircraft made by German manufacturers which featured state-of-the-art solutions. Despite not being used during the war, the Horten Ho 229 V3 became a prototype for future airplanes which had a similar design.
The Horten Ho 229 V3 had numerous characteristics which were considered unconventional when compared to the majority of aircraft of the era. The plane was among the first ones to utilize a tail-less design known as the “flying wing.” Essentially, the model did not have a fuselage and tail as a way to reduce weight and drag and thus increase the efficiency of the aircraft. In 1943, Hermann Göring demanded a new bomber to be built, and the Horten brothers managed to secure half a million reichsmarks by demonstrating their plan for a jet-powered, flying wing called Ho 229.
In 1945, the first jet-powered prototype was tested for the first time and showed that it could be controlled while in flight. The Ho 229 V3 was set to become the third prototype of the model, and it was supposed to fly farther than any of the aircraft of the era. Nevertheless, since the V3 plane was captured by the Allies in 1945, it failed to become the first stealth bomber on the planet. The stealth planes built by Northrop Grumman, an American aircraft manufacturer, were to a certain extent inspired by the creation of the Horten brothers.
The Horten Ho 229 V3 was a unique aircraft which was designed and built in Nazi Germany but never was able to demonstrate its capacity. The Horten Ho 229 was a model which could potentially revolutionize the aircraft industry and provide the Reich with its first stealth bomber. Nevertheless, the “flying-wing” design was later implemented in other aircraft, including those made by Northrop Grumman.