Historical Review
摘要
This chapter reviews tandem wing aircraft since the 1980s with photos, main geometrical parameters, aerodynamic and flight characteristics. The chapter begins with a four-wing dinosaur and ends with a design of a supersonic aircraft. Nevertheless, most of the examples are subsonic fixed-wing aerial vehicles, both piloted and unmanned (drones). The review proves that tandem wing configuration is suitable to develop small aircraft, ground-effect vehicles (GEV), short-take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft, long-endurance record holders, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) passenger and cargo transport (air taxi), solar planes (piloted and unmanned vehicles powered by solar cells), UAVs for surveillance and reconnaissance and suicide UAVs (kamikaze drones), foldable UAVs (for tube launch), etc.