Wing Configuration - Wings Vs. Bodies

Wings Vs. Bodies

Some designs have no clear join between wing and fuselage, or body. This may be because one or other of these is missing, or because they merge into each other:

• Flying wing - the aircraft has no distinct fuselage or horizontal tail (although fins and pods, blisters, etc. may be present) such as on the B-2 stealth bomber.
  • Bi-directional flying wing - a proposed design in which a low-speed wing and a high-speed wing are laid across each other in the form of a cross. The aircraft would take off and land with the low-speed wing facing the airflow, then rotate a quarter-turn so that the high-speed wing faces the airflow for supersonic flight (See Variable geometry below).
• Blended body or blended wing-body - a smooth transition occurs between wing and fuselage, with no hard dividing line. Reduces wetted area and can also reduce interference between airflow over the wing root and any adjacent body, in both cases reducing drag. The Lockheed SR-71 spyplane exemplifies this approach.
• Lifting body - the aircraft lacks identifiable wings but relies on the fuselage (usually at high speeds or high angles of attack) to provide aerodynamic lift as on the X-24.

Some designs may fall into multiple categories depending on interpretation, for example one design could be seen as a lifting body with a broad fuselage, or as a low-aspect-ratio flying wing with a deep center chord.