British Patent Abridgments

A guided missile controlled in flight by means of jets directed on to flaps 5 has the wings 2 mounted for rotation about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the missile. Gas supply pipes 4 are led along the transverse axis to the jet ducts 3 which open on to the leading edges of the flaps 5 hinged about axes 6, so that when the flaps are aligned with the jets the jet stream is deflected about the upper and lower surfaces of the flaps to give zero lift. On rotating the wing 2 and flap 5 simultaneously in a clockwise direction, the jet is discharged over the upper surface of the flap 5 and generates an upward lift. Reverse movements of the wing and flap cause a downward lift to steer the missile. The wing and flap may be coupled together, e.g. by gear segments 7, 8, fixed to the jet duct and flap respectively to give simultaneous rotation. The wing 2 may be stationary relative to the body with the jet orifices being shifted to incline upwardly or downwardly to give the necessary lift. In a further modification, the flap 5 may have translational motion upward and downward in addition to pivotal motions to produce the required lift. Two pairs of wings in a cruciform arrangement may be provided. The flap 5 is divided between its top and bottom surfaces to form an outlet 9 aligned with the jet 3, the flap being pivoted as before and the wing may be simultaneously rotated.