Flying Wings: XB-35, YB-49, B-2 Spirit, A-12A Avenger II, B-21 Raider, etc.

[PR19_Kit]

Scale-o-rama-ing a B-2 kit would seem to be a good starting point...............

[McColm]

In the book American Secret Projects 3 Northrop-Grumman proposed an Airlift version of the B.2 Spirit bomber.

[PR19_Kit]

Which begs the question 'Why'? 

[McColm]

Which begs the question 'Why'? 

Judging from what I have read so far the USAF was seeking new designs for future replacements of the older cargo aircraft either from existing models both at home or across the pond not necessarily  used as transport aircraft but could be adapted for such purposes to reduce the costs.

[PR19_Kit]

REDUCE the costs?

Each B-2 cost over $TWO BILLION each! 

Making a transport version would have been even MORE expensive. If they even thought of doing that they must have been out of their tiny minds!     

[kerick]

Adapting other aircraft for completely different purposes almost never works. I think one that worked was the airlift version of the B-29 that became the C-97. And the Lockheed Electra that became the Hudson. That's about all that come to my mind at the moment.

[jcf]

Which begs the question 'Why'? 

I think he may be talking about the Senior Citizen stealth transport, which is a rabbit hole, not a replacement for a standard airlifter.
One of Northrop's proposals was a "B-2 based" fan-in-wing V/STOL.
Being B-2 based would supposedly make it more "affordable".

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[PR19_Kit]

Being B-2 based would supposedly make it more "affordable".

Yeah, right.........................

I think that would mean re-defining 'affordable'.

[jcf]

Being B-2 based would supposedly make it more "affordable".

Yeah, right.........................

I think that would mean re-defining 'affordable'.

I think they were basing that on the starting point being that the root engineering had been done and the manufacturing issues had been overcome. If the B-2 order had not been cut the cost per airfame would have been less and, if so, the cost of each of the secret squirrel stealth assault transports would have been lower.
Wishful thinking, of course.

[tahsin]

Being based on the B-2 means it would have a proven ability to have stealth. Without 75% of the program budget spent on basic research to have a rival company spend a decade to match the B-2 RCS. What's unproven would be the mission that would need stealth, vertical landing and take-off for return from the target zone and even minimal supersonic speed. In the "easy" world of 1990s anything would be far cheaper with helicopters.

Edit: Fixed the spelling errors while adding a few more words.

[tahsin]

Yes, as nobody seems to be in the mood to talk about it, Senior Citizen would do nicely as a business jet for a Bond villain owning a lair in a volcano crater.

[Captain Canada]

Love the idea of that vertical lift B-2. Even the camo looks cool !

[jcf]

Yes, as nobody seems to be in the mood to talk about it, Senior Citizen would do nicely as a business jet for a Bond villain owning a lair in a volcano crater.

Shh, Elon might hear you.

🤣

[tahsin]

Considering he wouldn't be able to replicate, l don't think that would be a problem. He doesn't have a volcano either, does he?

[McColm]

Northop-Grumman also came up with the idea to convert the B-2 Spirit into a stealthy refuelling tanker as there's an artwork concept back in 2004 from them.