Forum: F-22A Raptor

Don't forget about radar visibility. One, vertical stabilizer with fuselage, wings, and control surfaces might work as one huge retroreflector. That's why all truly stealthy designs don't have vertical stabilizers, or have two, slanted at different than 90 degrees angle: YF-23, F-22, X-32, F-35, F-117 etc.

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I understand the two tails on the F-22 being used as yaw control, & the X-36 use of split aileron and TVC. The Su and Mig TV systems have two v-tails and fly at extremely hi-alpha where the tails have no effect, all TVC. The TVC systems can do it all, as well as recover from extreme envelope pushing m/v's. I read years ago that the TVC was very useful at both ends of the speed spectrum, slow and hi-altitude hi speed m/v.

With the F-22, tailless tech was in its infancy. The F-22 was a less risky approach, compared to the YF-23. Big tail surfaces and 2D TVC was probably a more survivable AC.

Thats 1D TVC, not 2D in the Raptor.

checksixx wrote:

Thats 1D TVC, not 2D in the Raptor.

No, it's 2D. 2D means movement in a plane, 1D means movement in a line. If you map the movement of the exhaust trail of a F22 engine, it would look something like a slice of pie = 2D. 1D would be no TVC, ie straight line.

3D TVC, if you map out the exhaust trail again, would look like an icecream cone. IE 3D.

Hope that makes sense.

Forum: F-22A Raptor

The F-22 in light of the X-36 program...