Modeling and Simulation: Public Forum

 View Only
  • 1.  4 Fin Missile Control Surface Characteristics

    Posted 11 Apr, 2024 16:09

    Are there any recommended reading materials for control surfaces for missile stability? I have plenty of resources for airplanes' use of rudder, ailerons, and elevators but am unsure if they directly translate to a 4-fin axisymmetric missile. If anyone has any recommendations, that would be greatly appreciated!

    Additional features that were of interest were the 2-fin set up where the missile would roll 90 degrees to alternate between yaw and pitch needs. Everything I've found so far are pieces but if there are any textbooks that have been helpful to others in learning, would love to know more.



    ------------------------------
    Hannah Snyderburn
    Aerospace Engineer
    Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane
    Crane IN
    (812)854-4313
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: 4 Fin Missile Control Surface Characteristics

    Posted 12 Apr, 2024 08:42

    How detailed are you looking to get with this reference? The two that come closest might be Eugene Fleeman's Missile Design which gives a very broad overview of missile fin configuration design considerations with very little in the way of mathematical treatment but could serve as a starting point to derive your own analysis. Then there's the Zipfel text Modelin and Simulation of aerospace vehicle dynamics, which gives a little bit more detail and offers the CADAC++ software as a supplement with a working example of a Maverick Missile 5DOF. There might be some discussion on fin configuration as well in the Zarchan Tactical and strategic missile guidance text, but I can't recall right now.



    ------------------------------
    Savas Mavridis
    Northrop Grumman Mission Systems
    Naperville IL
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: 4 Fin Missile Control Surface Characteristics

    Posted 12 Apr, 2024 09:57

    Thanks for the reply Savas! I'm looking for depth and details similar to the Thomas R. Yechout's "Introduction to Aircraft Flight Mechanics" (2nd Edition) but with a focus on missiles. I do have a Eugene Fleeman Missile Design text a colleague provided (published in the 90s) and covers a lot of top level design concerns that are important but I'm looking more on how the various aerodynamic forces are experienced from each fin, stability details, possibly finset airfoils, finset combinations, stabilizers, and methods of deflection-actuator programming. The more math, the better, too! 

    I'll look at the Zipfel and Zarchan texts, appreciate the feedback!



    ------------------------------
    Hannah Snyderburn
    Aerospace Engineer
    Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane
    Crane IN
    (812)854-4313
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: 4 Fin Missile Control Surface Characteristics

    Posted 12 Apr, 2024 10:17

    Roger. Hopefully you find what you're looking for! I'd also be interested in any resources that may provide that level of detail on missile configuration and design! Let me if anything pans out.



    ------------------------------
    Savas Mavridis
    Northrop Grumman Mission Systems
    Naperville IL
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: 4 Fin Missile Control Surface Characteristics

    Posted 12 Apr, 2024 10:22

    Sure thing, I'll let you know. Over at the Missile Systems forums, Brian McGrath provided these texts as well:

    There are two classic missile textbooks that are of interest:

    1. Missile Aerodynamics, by Jack Nielsen (Now an AIAA publication)
    2. Missile Configuration Design, by S.S. Chin

    Other textbooks that are helpful as well:

    1. Missile Design Guide, by Eugene Fleeman (AIAA publication)
    2. Tactical Missile Aerodynamics: Prediction Methodology: Prediction Methodology, by Mike Mendenhall (AIAA publication)
    3. Missile Design and System Engineering, by Eugene Fleeman (AIAA publication)

    Take Care!



    ------------------------------
    Hannah Snyderburn
    Aerospace Engineer
    Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane
    Crane IN
    (812)854-4313
    ------------------------------