{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets: CC BY 4.0. Standard and published-size files: CC BY 4.0. Xem Studio's own designs (files_license = Xem Studio Design License): free to use and sell things from, not to redistribute as files — https://xemstudio.com/license/. Other publishers' files: their own license, linked beside them.",
 "slug": "twin-boom-tail",
 "name": "Twin-boom tail",
 "kind": "standard",
 "category": "Aircraft design",
 "group": "Tail configurations",
 "year": null,
 "question": "What is a twin-boom tail and when is it used?",
 "tags": [
  "vehicle design",
  "tail configurations",
  "rc design",
  "aerodynamics"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "twin boom",
  "twin boom aircraft",
  "twin boom pusher",
  "twin boom rc plane",
  "twin tail boom",
  "pod and boom twin",
  "twin boom uav",
  "p-38 twin boom",
  "twin boom tail design"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": null,
  "width": null,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 1,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/twin-boom-tail/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/twin-boom-tail/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": null,
   "width": null,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "A twin-boom layout carries the tail on two booms instead of a fuselage, usually with an H-tail joining them; Bhattacharya et al. note the added weight of twin booms and propwash drag on the tail.",
   "The FAA notes pusher propellers suffer more damage than tractors because of lower ground clearance (FAA Powerplant Handbook), and booms leave the space behind a central nacelle open for one.",
   "The P-38 is the classic example; NASM describes it as a 'twin-tail boom and twin-engine fighter'.",
   "Used on: Lockheed P-38 Lightning.",
   "The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "parameter",
    "value or range",
    "source"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "Tail sizing",
     "tail volume as conventional (Vh 0.50 / Vv 0.04 homebuilt)",
     "HAW Hamburg Table 2.1"
    ],
    [
     "Reference build",
     "boom length 500 mm, H-tail Sh 40,000 mm^2",
     "computed"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Twin-boom tail — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/twin-boom-tail/  (sheet CC BY 4.0; files Xem Studio Design License, https://xemstudio.com/license/)\nBasis: Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nSizes: see table below\n- A twin-boom layout carries the tail on two booms instead of a fuselage, usually with an H-tail joining them; Bhattacharya et al. note the added weight of twin booms and propwash drag on the tail.\n- The FAA notes pusher propellers suffer more damage than tractors because of lower ground clearance (FAA Powerplant Handbook), and booms leave the space behind a central nacelle open for one.\n- The P-38 is the classic example; NASM describes it as a 'twin-tail boom and twin-engine fighter'.\n- Used on: Lockheed P-38 Lightning.\n- The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle.\n\nparameter  value or range  source\nTail sizing  tail volume as conventional (Vh 0.50 / Vv 0.04 homebuilt)  HAW Hamburg Table 2.1\nReference build  boom length 500 mm, H-tail Sh 40,000 mm^2  computed\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Lockheed P-38J-10-LO Lightning — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.si.edu/object/nasm_A19600295000\n- engrXiv (Bhattacharya et al., ICMMM 2023): Design and Computational Analysis of Y-tail Configuration for Maritime UAV — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://engrxiv.org/preprint/download/6582/10812/9153\n- FAA: Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook - Powerplant, Ch. 7 Propellers — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/09_amtp_ch7.pdf\n- HAW Hamburg (Aircraft Design and Systems Group): Empennage sizing: tail lever arm as % of fuselage length (thesis; Table 2.1 typical tail volume coefficients) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.fzt.haw-hamburg.de/pers/Scholz/arbeiten/TextMcDavid.pdf\n\nFree files (Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 1 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/twin-boom-tail/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=twin-boom-tail\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum",
   "title": "Lockheed P-38J-10-LO Lightning",
   "url": "https://www.si.edu/object/nasm_A19600295000",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "engrXiv (Bhattacharya et al., ICMMM 2023)",
   "title": "Design and Computational Analysis of Y-tail Configuration for Maritime UAV",
   "url": "https://engrxiv.org/preprint/download/6582/10812/9153",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "FAA",
   "title": "Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook - Powerplant, Ch. 7 Propellers",
   "url": "https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/09_amtp_ch7.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "HAW Hamburg (Aircraft Design and Systems Group)",
   "title": "Empennage sizing: tail lever arm as % of fuselage length (thesis; Table 2.1 typical tail volume coefficients)",
   "url": "https://www.fzt.haw-hamburg.de/pers/Scholz/arbeiten/TextMcDavid.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "tail-volume-coefficient",
  "tail-moment-arm",
  "conventional-tail",
  "t-tail",
  "cruciform-tail",
  "v-tail"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "Why use twin booms on a pusher RC plane?",
   "a": "The booms carry the tail around the space behind the pod where a pusher prop turns; pushers are prone to ground strikes (FAA Powerplant Handbook)."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": {
  "name": "Xem Studio Design License",
  "holder": "Xem Studio",
  "url": "https://xemstudio.com/license/",
  "note": "Xem Studio's own design: free to use, print, modify and sell things made from it; not to be republished or redistributed as files."
 },
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "twin-boom-tail-tail",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/twin-boom-tail/twin-boom-tail-tail.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/twin-boom-tail/twin-boom-tail-tail.stl",
   "note": "twin boom layout: horizontal span 400 × chord 100, vertical 100 × 80 mm on a 500 mm boom, NACA 0009 surfaces"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/twin-boom-tail/index.md"
}