Horten Brothers

The Horten brothers, Reimar (1913-1993) and Walter (1913-1984), were German aviation pioneers and Luftwaffe pilots who designed innovative flying wing aircraft during World War II. Commissioned by Hermann Göring in 1943 under the '3 x 1000' requirement (1,000 kg bombs, 1,000 km range, 1,000 km/h speed), they developed the Horten Ho 229 jet-powered flying wing, a stealth-like tailless design prototyped in 1944-1945. Their work influenced post-war aviation, including U.S. stealth technology via Operation Paperclip, where prototypes were shipped to America. In UAP/UFO contexts, their advanced designs were hypothesized by Project Sign and Project Blue Book as explanations for 1940s sightings, with claims like Annie Jacobsen's alleging Soviet adaptations caused Roswell panic. No direct Horten involvement in UFO programs or testimony exists; connections stem from misidentifications and conspiracy theories.