SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS

摘要

The TSR2 and F-111 were designed for low-altitude strike and interdiction deep into enemy territory. The American aircraft used variable-geometry wings, while the British machine was designed with a fixed-geometry wing with anhedral outer panels. Both configurations are ideal for the specified flight regime, with low gust response and good take-off and landing performance. In principle the F-111 's wing worked by matching the sweep angle to the conditions, while the TSR2's was optimised for higher speeds, with fully blown flaps to allow it to meet the take-off and landing requirements. Why the different approaches to the same problem?