Effect of changes in tail arrangement upon the spinning of a low-wing monoplane model

A series of tests was made in the N.A.C.A. free spinning tunnel to find the effect upon spinning characteristics of systematic changes in tail arrangement. The tests were made with a 1/16-scale made of a low-wing monoplane of modern design. The changes consisted of: (1) variation of the fuselage length; (2) variation of the fore-and-aft location of the vertical surfaces; and (3) variation of the vertical location of the horizontal surfaces. The spinning characteristics of the model, including the number of turns required for recovery, were found to vary systematically and regularly with systematic changes in the tail arrangement. The following changes in tail arrangement had harmful effects upon the recovery characteristics (which originally were excellent): (1) shortening the fuselage; (2) placing the vertical surfaces directly above the horizontal surfaces as compared with locations either fore or aft of this position; (3) moving the horizontal surfaces downward from their original location at the top of the fuselage.