Hal Markarian

Hal Markarian was an Armenian American aircraft designer who would be known for implementing the initial designs of the B-2 Stealth Bomber. He produced a sketch that was the inspiration for the modern B-2 Spirit.^[1] Today's B-2 Spirit has incorporated much of Markarian's design and has sustained the initial intentions which produced it.

Design for the B-2 Stealth Bomber

The B-2 Spirit took up its design from Hal Markarian

During the initial project of the Stealth Bomber, Hal Markarian was appointed as project manager.^[2]

The first sketches of the aircraft were done by Markarian in June 1979.^[3] Markarian's proposal was one of the two designs that were considered in the making of the Stealth Bomber. Markarian's design proposal was very similar to the YB-49, an aircraft designed by Northrop Grumman three decades earlier in 1947.^[4]

The design was under the influence of Irv Waaland and John Cashen who were experts in stealth technology.^[3] The team also included aerodynamicist Hans Grellman, as well as Dick Scherrer, a designer who had arrived from Lockheed.^[5] The design, which was the ancestor of the modern B-2 Stealth Bomber, was much lighter and thinner in design and had six engines equipped, most likely GE F404.^[1] The aircraft had a diamond shaped center body which served to accommodate a crew, fuselage and weapons.^[3]

The aircraft design that Northrop Grumman would later adopt for the Stealth Bomber was very similar in design.^[1] An exception to Markarian's design would be a deeper center-section of the aircraft. Due to demands from the Strategic Air Command, the aircraft also became much heavier and had larger weapon carriers.^[1]

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