Cairo. 1936. Doctor Jones has just discovered the location of the Lost Ark and a huge German soldier is tanning his back on the sand runway of an improvised airfield. Is one of the most exciting scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark and one of the best examples of how fantasy and history mix perfectly in this film saga of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. And despite what you might think, the huge plane that appears in the scene is not real. And I don’t mean that it is a replica used to add emotion to the scene or another element of the set. The fact is that that spectacular and striking plane did not come to exist. But almost, because The Luftwaffe invested a lot of resources, time and effort in developing it.

The image of the plane that appears in Raiders of the Lost Ark has become one of the most remembered emblems of the Indiana Jones saga. It is impossible not to associate the iconic scene with the imposing presence of the German plane that appears in it, the BV-38 Flying Winga spectacular design by ILM and Lucasfilm for the film that never made it out of the fantastic world of Indy. However, its origin is deeply linked to the war concerns of the time in which this first film in the series takes place. the real projects that Nazi Germany was developing.

This fictional plane is presented as a flying wing model, an aircraft with a “V”-shaped design, whose silhouette perfectly evoked the technological and military concerns of the Luftwaffe. In the film, the BV-38 is a key piece to give rhythm to the Indiana Jones chase and add a touch of mystery and fantasy, but beyond the screen, The creation of this plane is not so far from historical reality. And, during World War II, the German government was investing a large amount of resources in the development of aircraft with unconventional designsas part of their effort to gain a decisive aerial advantage in the conflict.

The Horten Ho 229: the genesis of the flying wing

Indiana Jones’ BV-38 Flying Wing is largely inspired by one of the Luftwaffe’s most intriguing and revolutionary projects: the Horten Ho 229. This real plane, though It did not become a mass production successmarked a before and after in the history of aviation. Developed by brothers Reimar and Walter Horten, the Horten Ho 229 was one of the first aircraft to adopt the flying wing design, a structure that eliminated the traditional fuselage and whose aerodynamic design promised greater speed and maneuverability.

The Horten Ho 229 was first displayed at the end of World War II and, although it was not used in many real combat situations, it did participate in reconnaissance missions. This aircraft had a number of innovative features, such as its stealthy profile, which made it less detectable by enemy radarsand its jet propulsion, which gave it an impressive flight speed. The futuristic design of the Ho 229, with its delta-wing shape, can clearly be seen as a precursor to next-generation fighter aircraft and is the precursor to the famous ghost planes that have the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, and the current F -22 Raptor or Su-57. It is in this context that we can understand the BV-38 Flying Wing from Indiana Jones.

In the film, Spielberg and Lucas take advantage of the visual appeal of these futuristic designs to give a touch of spectacularity to the Indiana Jones chase, but at the same time, they reflect the fascination that the world of World War II aviation continues to exert on popular culture.

From fantasy to postwar reality: the Northrop YB-49

Although the Horten Ho 229 never became an operational fighter aircraft, its design left an important mark on the aviation industry. After World War II, with the fall of the Nazi regime, and with the Cold War raging, research into advanced aircraft continued around the world. One of the main beneficiaries of these ideas was the United States.which began developing its own versions of flying wings, in an attempt to maintain its strategic advantage in the air.

In this context, the Northrop Corporation became interested in the concept of the Horten Ho 229 and began working on its own version of a flying wing bomber: the Northrop YB-49. This aircraft was one of the first aircraft to implement the flying wing design on a modern military platform. Like its German predecessor, the YB-49 was designed to be a high-altitude bomber with a stealthy profilewhich made it less susceptible to enemy radars.

However, despite its innovative design and impressive capabilities, the Northrop YB-49 was never adopted by the United States Air Force. Although several prototypes were built and some tests were carried out, technical problems and high production costs prevented the aircraft from entering service. However, the YB-49 served as the basis for future research into flying wing design and laid the foundation for the stealth aircraft that would arrive decades later, such as the famous B-2 Spirit of the United States Air Force.

A legacy that lasts

Although Indiana Jones’ BV-38 Flying Wing was never real, its inspiration from historical projects such as the Horten Ho 229 and the Northrop YB-49 highlights the importance of experimental aviation during World War II and beyond. It is understandable that its basic concepts and designs caught the attention of a mechanics and aeronautics enthusiast like George Lucas. The Indiana Jones saga, by mixing history and fiction, has managed to create a middle ground to wink at what could have been a crucial advance in military technology. Just what could have happened to the Ark!

If you haven’t seen Raiders of the Lost Ark, well I don’t know what you’re waiting forand if you already know it inside and out, any excuse is good to be able to see it right now on Sky Showtime either Movistar+.

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