Flying Flapjacks

[Firefinder]

That's just flap blowing, which is very different from seeing a stream of blown air as a winglet or control surface all by itself.

IIRC that wasn't visualized until the F-18 HARV in the early 1990s

Yeah both the A5 and F4 had air blowing both over the flaps.

And the FORWARD EDGES of the control surfaces, the A5 even had it on the rudder, to enhance their crappy low speed agility and lift into something that can land on a CV. Was an outright PITA to maintain which is while later planes lack it. With the Navy going so far as to tell Lockmart NO we don't want it on the F35C which is why that has a longer wing.

But the experience from those informed the HARV program in the mid to late 80s which was very much a Let See how Far we can push this type of program.

 

[Michel Van]

Found this on X
called NX28993 "Flying Flounder" flow in 1941

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012562638236971071

View: https://twitter.com/timfarmer/status/2012562638236971071

 

[MadRat]

Does Lippisch P-13a count as a flying flapjack?

How about Saab Draken?