The flying wing was most recently marketed as an ideal platform for unmanned operations with a potential range of 2,175 miles or an endurance of 20 hours.
The sole Horten HX-2 awaits its next test flight in October 2019. [Courtesy: Jason McDowell]
Key Takeaways:
Flying wings, like the two-seat Horten HX-2, are rare in manned, powered aviation due to practical challenges for large passenger aircraft, but show promise for smaller applications like private aviation.
The HX-2 boasts exceptional efficiency, achieving 32.8 mpg while cruising, and its voluminous design offers benefits like stable center of gravity and potential for future hydrogen power or long-endurance UAV modifications.
Despite its promising attributes and plans for a family of aircraft, the development and marketing efforts for the Horten HX-2 have stalled since 2020, with hopes for renewed investment.
Cool as they are, flying wings are exceedingly rare.
Among the two dozen or so individual models that have been built over the years, only a few types have been produced in quantities of more than two or three. Fewer still were both manned and powered, and the small Horten HX-2 is a member of that exclusive group.
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Jason McDowell is a private pilot and Cessna 170 owner based in Madison, Wisconsin. He enjoys researching obscure aviation history and serves as a judge for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association. He can be found on Instagram as @cessnateur.
