American flying wing, name unknown :   I received this document (original photo) through Mr. Mark Granich who is the son-in-law of Mr. Robert Heidemann.  Mr. Robert Heidemann is the brother of Mr. Walter Heidemann who worked during W.W.II. and, after, with the Northrop Aeronautical Institute at Hawthorne.  Mr. Walter Heideman was in charge of the project Horten HoVI at that time.  The brothers Heidemann never spoke about the work in Northrop because it was confidential (war period and military secret).  Mr. Walter Heidemann died several years ago and, unfortunately, all this knowledge of the flying wing history is lost.
     According to the letter I have received from Mr. Granich, Mr. Walter Heidemann was a glider pilot for the US Air Force and was transferred to power plane flying for the last 6 months of the war.  Both brothers went back to glider flying after the war and never spoke about their activities during the war.
     Concerning the photo Mr. Granich sent me, the comments are as follow : "Bob asked me to mail you the enclosed information and, in particular, the small black and white photograph taken approximately in 1933-1934 at Rosemond Dry Lake.  The photo shows the flying wing glider in the far background.
    Bob recalled that Hawley Bowlus designed, built and flew the flying wing gliders both before and during world war II. Hawley Bowlus could have been in charge of the project.  Bob remembers that the gliders were occasionally flown out at Rosemond Dry Lake, now called Edward's Air Force Base. Walt, meanwhile, had been a glider pilot commander before the war."
     I received the information regarding the Heidemann brothers from Mr. Stanley A. Hall (who was asked by Northrop to fly the Ho VI, but refused because of the high flexibility of the wings).

(Information provided on 9/15/99 by:  Eric_du_Trieu_de_Terdonck@vesuvius.com)

(TWITT Note:  It is possible this is one of the gliders that Don Mitchell helped Bowlus design when working on a prototype troop carrier for the government.  If anyone has more information about this glider, please let us know.)