Why Twin-Boom Superplanes Didn’t Work In WW2

Twin Boom Or Twin Fuselage?

A twin-boom plane typically has two longitudinal auxiliary booms, with twin tail booms that support the tail surfaces. What sets a twin-boom configuration apart from twin-fuselage designs is that it retains the central fuselage. 

Twin boom designs can be traced back to the lattices of booms that were utilized on many early box kite planes.

Early designs used twin booms to clear a rear-mounted propeller. At the start of the jet age, the need for the propeller’s clearance was eventually replaced with the need to give a clear path for hot exhaust gases. 

Twin Booms In The Jet Age

Since the efficiency of the jet engine was hampered by the long intake and exhaust trunks that were used in earlier designs, one solution was to utilize twin booms to shorten the exhaust trunking at the minimum. 

The final use for a twin-boom was combining a very high aspect ratio of wings and canards to decrease flexing and the weight needed to constrain it. Moreover, having the mass from most of the fuel mid-span significantly reduces the forces on the wings. 

Not As Aerodynamic

Despite a long list of benefits, the twin-boom layout could cause aerodynamic inefficiencies. The design might lead to increased drag and stability problems, particularly with the horizontal stabilizer placed between the booms. Pilots also had to adapt to different handling characteristics, which was not always practical during wartime.

The configuration also led to difficulties in ensuring structural integrity and balance. This could result in increased weight, manufacturing challenges, and maintenance difficulties.