Near Mojave in Kern County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

YB-49 "Flying Wing"

Glen Edwards Memorial

YB-49 Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 21, 2026

1. YB-49 Marker

Inscription.

YB-49 "Flying Wing". Glen Edwards Memorial. , In memory of the crew of the YB-49 "Flying Wing" who lost their lives in the pursuit of aviation: , Daniel H. Forbes Jr. · Glen W. Edwards · Charles H. LaFountain · Edward L. Swindell · Clare C. Leser , June 5, 1948 , , On 5 June 1948, Maj. Daniel Forbes piloted 42-102368 on a routine test flight. Capt. Glen W. Edwards was the co-pilot. The flight engineer was Lt. Ed Swindell, and there were two civilian observers aboard, Claire C. Leser and Charles H. LaFountain. The aircraft departed Muroc Air Force Base in the early morning. Routine position reports over the Antelope Valley test range were received for about an hour. The final radio transmission came at the beginning of a test run to measure the longitudinal control forces at increasing angles of attack. The aircraft was flying at an altitude between twenty and twenty-five thousand feet. About 20 minutes after the last report, witnesses reported seeing the YB-49 crash in the desert north of the base. , , The YB-49 had crashed on top of some hills 10 miles east of Mojave. It was determined that the jet had impacted in a flat attitude with little forward velocity. At thirty-five minutes into the flight it still had considerable fuel, and when it struck the ground, it exploded and burned. Parts of the airplane, including outer wing panels and flap and elevator components, were found in a narrow area extending two or three miles from the wreckage. All five crewmembers were killed. They had apparently made no attempt to bail out. , , During the accident investigation, it was impossible to arrive at an incontestable conclusion regarding the probable cause. A major structural failure had obviously occurred in flight. Many specific causes were considered: exceeding flight restrictions, tumbling resulting from a stall, instability due to extreme aft center of gravity due to improper fuel usage, unintentional nose-up trim flap motion, or hydraulic control system malfunction.

In memory of the crew of the YB-49 "Flying Wing" who lost their lives in the pursuit of aviation:
Daniel H. Forbes Jr. · Glen W. Edwards · Charles H. LaFountain · Edward L. Swindell · Clare C. Leser
June 5, 1948

On 5 June 1948, Maj. Daniel Forbes piloted 42-102368 on a routine test flight. Capt. Glen W. Edwards was the co-pilot. The flight engineer was Lt. Ed Swindell, and there were two civilian observers aboard, Claire C. Leser and Charles H. LaFountain. The aircraft departed Muroc Air Force Base in the early morning. Routine position reports over the Antelope Valley test range were received for about an hour. The final radio transmission came at the beginning of a test run to measure the longitudinal control forces at increasing angles of attack. The aircraft was flying at an altitude between twenty and twenty-five thousand feet. About 20 minutes after the last report, witnesses reported seeing the YB-49 crash in the desert north of the base.

The YB-49 had crashed on top of some hills 10 miles east of Mojave. It was determined that the jet had impacted in a flat attitude with little forward velocity. At thirty-five minutes into the flight it still had considerable fuel, and when it struck the ground, it exploded and burned. Parts of the airplane, including outer

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wing panels and flap and elevator components, were found in a narrow area extending two or three miles from the wreckage. All five crewmembers were killed. They had apparently made no attempt to bail out.

During the accident investigation, it was impossible to arrive at an incontestable conclusion regarding the probable cause. A major structural failure had obviously occurred in flight. Many specific causes were considered: exceeding flight restrictions, tumbling resulting from a stall, instability due to extreme aft center of gravity due to improper fuel usage, unintentional nose-up trim flap motion, or hydraulic control system malfunction.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce • Military. A significant historical date for this entry is June 5, 1948.

Location. 35° 2.558′ N, 117° 59.556′ W. Marker is near Mojave, California, in Kern County. It is on La Vista Avenue 0.2 miles west of Neutralia Road, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: California City CA 93505, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Joaquin Valley,

specifically in the Central Valley,

in the Mojave Desert,

and in the Sierra Nevada.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: California City Veterans Memorial (approx. 7.6 miles away); The Randsburg - Mojave Road (approx. 7.8 miles away); HL-10 Lifting Body

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 21, 2026

2. YB-49 Marker

(approx. 8½ miles away); Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (approx. 8.6 miles away); NF-15B (approx. 8.6 miles away); Lockheed F-104 (approx. 8.6 miles away); X-29 (approx. 8.6 miles away); F-8 Supercritical Wing Aircraft (approx. 8.6 miles away).

More about this marker. Located 10½ miles east of Highway 14 and the town of Mojave, 1.8 miles north of Highway 58, in a maze of rough dirt roads.

Small bits of metal from the YB-49 can be seen on the ground, and on the memorial.

Regarding YB-49 "Flying Wing". The Northrop YB-49 was an eight-engine jet-powered flying wing bomber prototype. Two were completed at Northrop's Hawthorne, California facility and flight tested at Muroc (now Edwards Air Force Base). The first YB-49 (42-102367) completed its maiden flight on 21 October 1947.

The second YB-49 airframe, serial number 42-102368, was assigned to the Performance Test phase of the program. Maj. Robert L. Cardenas piloted the first flight on 13 January 1948. He began performance testing of the aircraft on 19 February. From then until 21 May, Cardenas flew over 14 hours of performance tests with Maj. Daniel H. Forbes as co-pilot. YB-49 (42-102368) accumulated

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 21, 2026

3. YB-49 Marker

almost 57 hours of flight time during its 25 flights. It crashed on June 5, 1948.

Maj. Cardenas said he tried stalling the wing but felt it could easily tumble and break up. He told Edwards not to try stalling the wing. His opinion was that’s exactly what Edwards did.

Edwards Air Force Base was named in his honor.

Today’s Northrup B-2 Stealth Bomber has similar dimensions as the Northrup YB-49. Modern computers keep the B-2 stable in flight.

YB-49 "Flying Wing" Model image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 21, 2026

4. YB-49 "Flying Wing" Model

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 21, 2026

5. YB-49 "Flying Wing" Model

The five sides have the names of the crewmen.

Northrup YB-49 "Flying Wing" image. Click for full size.

courtesy USAF, February 21, 2026

6. Northrup YB-49 "Flying Wing"

This is one of the photos on the memorial.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 21, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 36 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 21, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.