1/144 Fantastic Plastic Northrop Nuclear-Powered Flying Wing 1956
Resin Model Kit, Box Condition: NM
Rare and out of production. Very highly detailed high-definition resin model of this proposed Nuclear-Powered bomber. Never started. The parts are still in the internal factory sealed bags and includes decals and instructions. In the mid-1950s, the U.S. Air Force flirted seriously with the idea of producing long-range strategic bombers powered by atomic energy. The main advantage of such a weapon would be its ability to stay aloft for weeks at a time, thus serving as the aerial counterpart to the Navy's fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.Jack Northrop, America's number-one proponent of "flying wing" aircraft, proposed several configurations for such an atomic-powered bomber. The most exotic of these was an asymmetrical design that positioned the cockpit at the end of the port wing. (German engineers had proved that asymmetrical designs were completely airworthy more than a decade before.) This configuration, while highly unconventional, had the advantage of putting the flight crew as far away from the nuclear reactor as possible while minimizing weight.
This item has been sold.
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