Hal Markarian

Hal Markarian (1929 — 2012) was an Armenian American aircraft designer who is known for implementing the initial designs of the B-2 Stealth Bomber. He, along with Wesley Kirk, produced a sketch that was the inspiration for the modern B-2 Spirit.^[1] Today's B-2 Spirit incorporates much of Markarian's design.

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 proposal was very similar to the YB-49, an aircraft designed by Northrop three decades earlier in 1947.^[4]

The final design was influenced by 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 was much lighter and thinner than the modern B-2 Stealth Bomber 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 was similar, though it had a deeper center-section of the aircraft than Markarian's design. Due to demands from the Strategic Air Command, the aircraft was also made much heavier and had larger weapon carriers.^[1]