F-18 rudders during take-off October 25, 2009
Posted by David Cenciotti in Military Aviation, Naval Aviation.Tags: aircraft carrier, catapult launch, elevator, F-18, Military Aviation, Naval Aviation, rudder, tail, USS Nimitz
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Some visitors of this site that analysed the pictures I took on the USS Nimitz (http://cencio4.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/images-from-the-uss-nimitz-cvn-68/), asked me why the F-18 (both C, E and F versions) has the rudders deflected inwards during catapult launches.
That position of the rudders is common to all the Hornets, not only those departing from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier: the rudders are deflected to help the nose raising as the aircraft leaves the ship. Since the vertical fins are angled outwards, deflecting both rudders inwards gives a downward component of lift, which acts behing the centre of graviting generating a momentum that assists the elevators.




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I'm the author of "F-104 Storia di un mito", the only official book published by the Italian Air Force to celebrate the retirement of the Starfighter in 2004. I'm also a photographer and my pictures have been used in books, magazines, websites and calendars.
This is a place to talk about military aviation, flying, photography and much more.






The above image was created by Andy Spagna, as a gift for my first trap landing on the USS Nimitz, by modifying a real "Centurion" patch celebrating the 100 arrested landing on the aircraft carrier.








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