A Prediction Study on the Roll Lock-in Phenomena of Freely Spinning Tailfins

Abstract

This paper investigated the roll lock-in phenomena of a canard-controlled missile with freely spinning tailfins by applying Falanga's roll-rate equation. To confirm and validate the accuracy of the results of the roll-rate and roll lock-in prediction for freely spinning tailfins, the results were compared with Blair's wind tunnel test data. For calculation of the roll-rate of freely spinning tailfins, rolling moment coefficients of the tailfins were obtained from the wind tunnel test data and roll-damping coefficients were calculated by missile DATCOM. The roll-rate and roll lock-in of the freely spinning tailfins were calculated by applying these values to the roll-rate equation for freely spinning tailfins. The calculation results showed good agreement with the wind tunnel test data, and the roll lock-in could be anticipated as well.