Horten Ho 229

The Horten Ho 229 in The New Order.

The Horten H.IX, RLM designation Ho 229 (or Gotha Go 229 for extensive re-design work done by Gotha to prepare the aircraft for mass production), referred to simply as the "jet fighter" (German: Düsenjäger), was an experimental German fighter/bomber initially designed by Reimar and Walter Horten to be built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik late in World War II. It was the first flying wing to be powered by jet engines and at least 3 functional prototypes were built.

In the alternate timeline of the Wolfenstein series, a variant of this design has reached operational status and by 1946 is the premiere aircraft used by the Luftwaffe, outperforming Allied aircraft by every metric.

Description

Historically, the design was a response to Hermann Göring's call for light bomber designs capable of meeting the "3×1000" requirement; namely to carry 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) of bombs a distance of 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) with a speed of 1,000 kilometres per hour (620 mph). Only jet engines could provide the speed, but these were extremely fuel-hungry, so considerable effort had to be made to meet the range requirement. Based on a flying wing, the Ho 229 lacked all extraneous control surfaces to reduce weight and lower drag. It was the only design to come even close to the 3×1000 requirements and received Göring's approval. Its ceiling was 15,000 metres (49,000 ft).

Compared to Reimar and Walter's original design, the jets that appears in the Wolfenstein games sport several notable differences. The in-game version of the Ho 229 is armed with 4 nose-mounted cannons instead of 2 wing-mounted ones, and instead of Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet engines or BMW 003s, 2 larger turbofan engines with distinctive reddish contrails are used instead. The advanced version used by the Fourth Reich in 1980 also uses anti-gravity VTOL propulsion along with the standard jet engines and a split-X wing design.

Appearances

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood

In the Old Blood, it is seen outside Castle Wolfenstein while B.J. is making his escape in the cable car, where a pair of jets will do a strafing run on the gondola he's using. Later, one of them can be heard and seen performing flybys underneath Paderborn Bridge, shaking the superstructure every time it passes.

Wolfenstein: The New Order

BJ shooting at the Horten Ho 229.

During the opening events of the New Order, a squadron of Horten Ho 229s intercept the airborne Allied landing on Deathshead's compound and are the very first enemies in the game with Fergus Reid noting their speed and recognizable sound. While powerful, they are fragile, and B.J. uses his cargo plane’s nose turret to shoot several down but his valiant attempt is eventually put to a stop when a damaged fighter performed a kamikaze attack on his aircraft, destroying the nose turret and gravely injuring B.J. Once at the compound, they slow down and engage Allied P-51 fighters in dogfights.

Its silhouette is used on the Luftwaffe's badge (said badge can be viewed in the hangers that housed the helicopters of Project Whisper in the London Nautica). However, the Ho 229 seen on the badge bears a closer resemblance to the Horten brothers' original design. Several are kept stored aboard the Eva's Hammer, magnetically locked onto the interior hull.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Three Ho 229s perform a flyby over Roswell, trailing red, white and black smoke as part of the parade. Concept art shows them being launched from the Ausmerzer's forward airstrips, though this is not seen in-game.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood

The Horten Ho 229s also appear in Wolfenstein: Youngblood. Two can be seen undergoing maintenance in the hangar at the pinnacle of Brother 2. There was also a single, heavily modified prototype made for General Lothar Brandt's personal use. The variant had parallel engines and a split X-wing configuration, as well as having additional weapons such as laser cannons. The prototype also used anti-gravity engines along with the existing jet propulsion. The aircraft aided the general for his fight against the Blazkowicz sisters by strafing them with lasers. After Lothar was killed, the aircraft reappeared and tried to avenge him, but was shot down by a Project Whisper helicopter piloted by Grace Walker.

Armament

• 4 heavy autocannons
• Laser weapons (1980 prototype)

Trivia

• The Horten Ho 229 appears to be the only military aircraft mass produced by Nazi Germany, but there is also a stealth program known as Project Whisper. The helicopter developed from the program was mass produced by both Germany and the United States. Additionally, an aircraft called the Haunebu-V was also seen in America in 1960, but not after that because the Da'at Yichud facility used to manufacture them was destroyed and the American Resistance is in possession of the last one on the Eva's Hammer.
• The configuration of the wings of the 1980 prototype resembled the X-wing starfighters from the Star Wars franchise, which is generally associated with that decade.

Gallery

The cover of a Nazi technology magazine features the Horten Ho 229.

The heavily modified prototype Horten Ho 229 developed in 1980 with additional wings and laser weaponry.

The Horten being attacked by a Project Whisper helicopter.

The Horten being destroyed.

Ho 229 in Youngblood.

Horten Ho 229 (1980).

A proud Ho 229 pilot and his fighter.

---