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Old 11-21-2014, 08:37 AM
  #25  
Craig B.
 
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Originally Posted by Couch Potato
What are those fuselage fences under the elevators ?
"SMURFs"......Small control surfaces were fitted ahead of the all-moving horizontal tailplane, with the odd name of "smurfs", an acronym standing for the torturous phrase "side mounted unit root fins". The smurfs create vortex turbulence over the horizontal tailplane when the aircraft is at high angles of attack, ensuring that the control surfaces remain effective.

Last edited by Craig B.; 11-21-2014 at 08:45 AM.