Twin tail

A twin tail is a specific type of vertical stabilizer arrangement found on some aircraft. Two vertical stabilizers ? often smaller on their own than a single conventional tail would be ? are mounted at the outside of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer. Separating the control surfaces allows for additional rudder area or vertical surface without requiring a massive single tail, simplifying hangar requirements and sometimes reducing weight. Many canard aircraft designs incorporate twin tails on the tips of the main wing. Very occasionally, three or more tails are used, as on the Lockheed Constellation and Boeing 314 Clipper.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some significant aircraft with twin tails include the B-24 Liberator, Avro Lancaster, and P-38 Lightning. The arrangement is not limited to World War II-vintage aircraft, however. Many fighter aircraft, like the F-15 Eagle and Sukhoi Su-27, make use of twin tail configurations, as do civilian designs like the Antonov An-225 and Burt Rutan's Long-EZ and SpaceShipOne.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vertical stabilizer: The vertical stabilizer of an aircraft is found on its tail, generally pointing straight upward. It is also known as the vertical tail, and is part of an aircraft's empennage. The trailing end of the stabilizer is typically movable, and called the rudder; this allows the aircraft to yaw. Often navig...

Aircraft: An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight....

Horizontal stabilizer: redirect tailplane...

Twin tail related Images and Photos (experimental)

Twin Town	Twin Falls	Twin Sisters	Twin Oaks III
Twin Towers DVD (Full Frame)	Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me	Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (DVD)	Doctor Who: Twin Dilema, The (DVD)
Tail Fins and Two Tones IV	Supernatural Tail Lights Mug	Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me 1992	Tail Fins and Two Tones III