- V-tail
In aircraft, a V-tail (sometimes called a "butterfly tail") is an unconventional arrangement of the tail control surfaces that replaces the traditional fin and horizontal surfaces with two surfaces set in a V-shaped configuration when viewed from the front or rear of the aircraft. The rear of each surface is hinged, and these movable sections, sometimes called
ruddervators , combine the tasks of the elevators andrudder .The arrangement was invented by Polish engineer
Jerzy Rudlicki in 1930, and first tested on a modifiedHanriot H-28 trainer in 1931.Design use
The V-tail has not been a popular choice for aircraft manufacturers. The most popular V-tailed aircraft in mass production was the
Beechcraft Bonanza Model 35, often known as the "V-tail Bonanza" or simply "V-Tail". Other examples include theF-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, theFouga Magister trainer, and theRQ-1 Predator UAV. The X-shaped tail surfaces of the experimentalLockheed XFV were essentially a V tail that extended both above and below the fuselage. Over 2000Ultraflight Lazair ultralights were produced, all featuring an inverted V-tail.Hunt, Adam & Ruth Merkis-Hunt: "Skeletal Remains", pages 64-70. Kitplanes Magazine, September 2000.]Advantages
With fewer surfaces than a conventional tail or a
T-tail , the V-tail is lighter and produces less drag. In modern day light jet general aviation aircraft such as theCirrus Jet ,Eclipse 400 or the unmanned aerial droneGlobal Hawk , the power plant is often placed outside the aircraft to protect the passengers and make certification easier. In such cases V-tails are used to avoid placing the vertical stabilizer in the exhaust of the engine, which would disrupt the flow of the exhaust reducing thrust, and wear on the stabilizer, possibly leading to damage over time. ]Ruddervators have also been used on some
airships , such as the US Navy'sN class blimp s. Accurate pitch trimming of airships can be difficult and this configuration improves clearance beneath the tail.References
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