Swept Wing
In the context of aerospace engineering, a 'Swept Wing' is a wing configuration where the wings are set at an angle to the fuselage rather than being perpendicular to it. The design is primarily used in the construction of high-speed aircrafts, as it helps to delay the onset of wave drag in the transonic speed range. The sweep of a wing can be measured by the angle between the perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and the line connecting the leading and trailing edges at the tip of the wing. The concept of the swept wing came into prominence during the Second World War, when engineers were trying to design aircrafts that could travel at higher speeds without experiencing the adverse effects of drag. The swept wing design reduces the effective wing thickness and thus the drag. It also allows the aircraft to maintain lift at higher speeds, making it an essential feature in modern jet aircrafts.
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