Prior to his death, Northrop employees working on the Black Project “Aurora” were able to get Jack Northrop clearance to see the aircraft. Aurora would then become what we now know as the B-2 Bomber. Jack Northrop would pass away shortly after in 1981. Seeing the B-2 reportedly meant a lot to Jack Northrop, who’s company had designed both the YB-35 and YB-49 flying wing prototype bombers in the 1940s and 1950s.