swing-wing

American  

[swing-wing] / ˈswɪŋˌwɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of an airplane) having wings whose horizontal angle to the fuselage centerline can be adjusted fore and aft to optimize aerodynamic performance at widely differing speeds.

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swing-wing British  

adjective

1. of or relating to a variable-geometry aircraft

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noun

1. 1. such an aircraft

   2. either wing of such an aircraft

Etymology

Origin of swing-wing

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

This bizarre "antisymmetrical" configuration, Jones contends, is superior to the familiar swing-wing design of, say, the Air Force F-l I I or the Navy F14, or the fixed-wing design of the British-French Concorde.

From Time Magazine Archive

The swing-wing principle of General Dynamics' F-111 fighter-bomber and the Boeing SST design were devised by a British aircraft engineer.

From Time Magazine Archive

The swing-wing F14, which can take off from land runways or carriers and has a primary mission of protecting the fleet against air attack, has proved extremely effective in tests.

From Time Magazine Archive

In addition, the Vietnamese air force has acquired a number of Soviet SU-22s�modern swing-wing fighters.

From Time Magazine Archive

The contractor was Long Island's Grumman Aerospace Corp., builder of the Navy's long-awaited F-14 fighter, a swing-wing Mach 3 jet that is designed to waylay any enemy missile-armed bombers sent to attack American ships.

From Time Magazine Archive