Swingtail for spacecraft and for fast aircraft

In aircraft being capable for repeated space missions as space shuttles and for supersonic flights in the atmosphere (FIG. 8;

• FIG. 9 and FIG. 10), and having increased safety landing capabilities with improved manoeuvrability at low flight speeds the improvement comprising:
• a fuselage (1) with fixed vertical tail(s) (9) positioned on its aft end,
• a pair of wings (2) swept outwardly and rearwardly with respect to the sides of said fuselage equiped with ailerons (16) and landing flaps (18a;
• 18b),
• propulsion means mounted on said aircraft,
• a horizontal tail (10a;
• 10b) consisting of two halves and having a variable geometry with swinging movements (48) of said tail halves in outside arcs rearward and forward again,
• a. the said horizontal tail halves being swung to a forward position (10a) for high-speed flight and particularly for the entering operation into the atmosphere and for the supersonic flight in the atmosphere,
• b. the said horizontal tail halves being swung to a rearward position (10b) for low-speed flight and particularly for the landing or takeoff operation,
• c. each half of said horizontal tail having a trapezoidal shape,
• d. each half of said horizontal tail having at one corner of the base-line of said trapezoidal shape a protruding elongation of its main spar (12) which by means of a curved connection piece changes over into a substantially vertical beam (13) incorporating the substantially vertical swing axis (45) around which said half of said horizontal tail swings (48) in a substantially horizontal plane rearwards or forwards,
• e. each said vertical beam (13) being at its bottom end movable connected with the fuselage structure,
• f. each said vertical beam (13) being at its upper end movable connected (22) with a retaining frame (24) which is movable in longitudinal direction of said fuselage rearwards or forwards,
• g. each half of said horizontal tail having control means for said rearward and forward swing movements
• h. each half of said horizontal tail being coupled said said landing flap (18a;
• 18b) for common control movements,
• i. each half of said horizontal tail having in two cross-sections positioned substantially perpendicular to each other two different air foil profiles of which one profile is advantageous for supersonic flight speeds being at both edges sharp and the second profile is advantageous for subsonic flight speeds being at one edge round (which acts as the leading edge) and at the other edge sharp (which acts as the trailing edge),
• j. the said forward swung horizontal tail halves (10a) being placed in planes lying above the planes of said wings (FIG. 1 to FIG. 3;
• FIG. 4;
• FIG. 7 to FIG. 9) and being so much moved forward that the leading edges of said horizontal tail halves are positioned in front of the trailing edges of said wings (40) whereby the sharp leading edges of said horizontal tail halves are heat protected by the wing planes during the entering operation of said spacecraft into the atmosphere, and whereby the supersonic impact wave resistance of the swept wings and horizontal tail halves is reduced during the supersonic flight in the atmosphere,
• k. the said forward swung horizontal tail halves (10a) having negative profile cambers and negatively inclined chords (32) (FIG. 7) with respect to the chords of said wings (FIG. 2;
• FIG. 7 and FIG. 9),
• l. the said horizontal tail halves getting continuously increasing positive angles of incidence in relation to the local streamline direction during said rearward swing movements to produce additional lift during low-speed flight, which positive angles of incidence are continuously turned back during said forward swing movements of said horizontal tail halves,
• m. the said fuselage (1) carrying adaptor fairings (11) on both rear side walls adjacent to the two said horizontal tail halves.