The use of a deflectable nose on a missile as a control device

Wind tunnel tests have been carried out on a blunted ogive-cylinder with a deflectable nose at Mach numbers between 0.8 and 2.0. Although the results are subject to scale effects, it appears that the deflectable nose could find use as a missile control method. The results have been applied to two missile configurations. For a long slender missile the deflectable nose produces non-linear trim curves at subsonic speeds, approaching linearity at supersonic Mach numbers. Nevertheless, worth-while trimmed incidences can be achieved. Although a deflectable nose on a 105 mm shell at subsonic speeds produces only relatively small normal force coefficients at trim, the trim curves are linear. Furthermore, it appears that when used for terminal control significant deviations in shell impact point are attainable.