Heinemann and Northrop took their weight estimates and proposal to experienced Douglas staff to price a single aircraft. After a brief review, the cost emerged as $64,000. Heinemann was surprised by the speed of the decision, while Northrop attributed it to roughly fifteen years of experience. Fifteen years later, Heinemann was estimating contracts many times that size and understood how experienced engineers could judge a proposal so quickly.
Notable Point · 2:18:44-2:19:24
Pricing the XBT-1 through engineering experience
Heinemann's surprise at a rapid $64,000 estimate becomes a recollection about the practical judgment acquired through years of aircraft development.