Month in the Patent Office

In an aircraft having high‐taper low‐aspect ratio wings, in the preferred embodiment having a sweep‐back of 45 degrees means to reduce the induced drag by increasing the lift at the tips of the wings comprises hinged flaps 7 which occupy one‐third of each wing span outboard of the ailerons 6 and conventional flaps 5. A duct 21 having a rearwardly directed slotted orifice is positioned in each wing to blow high pressure gas over the upper surface of each flap when deflected to increase the lift. The gas is tapped from a gas turbine power plant 3 through a valve 18 and conduits 17 and 19 and a branch tapping through a valve 24 is shown applied to the flaps 5. Mechanism is provided whereby the flaps 7 may be operated in unison to increase lift at the outer portions of the wings or differentially in conjunction with the ailerons 6 to increase their rolling power. In FIG. 2 (not shown) the duct 21 and conduit 19 are shown as an integral unit forming part of the wing surface.