The radical tailless F4D Skyray built by Douglas in the early 1950s was the product of flying wing research work originally done by Jack Northrop and Germany's Alexander Lippisch of Me-163 fame. Since no horizontal tail was present, longitudinal and lateral control was maintained by trailing edge "elevons" that functioned as both elevators when used together, and as ailerons when used opposite one another. These were supplemented with a set of wing...
Related Subjects
History