Ho 229: The Story Behind Nazi Germany's 'Stealth' Fighter (See the Pic) The Ho 229 might have been a formidable adversary - if they had got in in the air by the war’s end. Here's What You Need to Remember: Flying wing designs were not an entirely new idea and had been used before in both gliders and powered aircraft. During World War II, Northrop developed its own high-performing XB-35 flying wing bomber for the U.S. military, though it failed to enter mass production. Despite the aerodynamic advantages, the lack of a tail tended to make fly wing aircraft prone to uncontrolled yaws and stalls.