What distinctive tail did the Magister have?

Short answer

A V-tail, also called a butterfly tail, which made it easily recognizable. A conventional tail was tested, but proved aerodynamically inferior at higher speeds. Beneath the rear fuselage it carried a fin that reduced the negative dihedral effect. The Fouga CM.170 Magister was a French two-seat jet trainer.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

What distinctive tail did the Magister have?

Fouga Magister (FM-43) Karhulan ilmailukerhon lentomuseo 9

A V-tail

The Magister was easily recognisable by its V-tail. The tail unit followed a characteristic butterfly configuration, and the alternative of a conventional tail was tested and discarded when it was found to be aerodynamically inferior. That conventional layout proved inferior in aerodynamic terms at higher speeds.

A keel under the fuselage

Under the rear fuselage was mounted a keel whose function was to reduce the effect of negative dihedral.

The aircraft that carried it

The Fouga CM.170 Magister is a French two-seat jet trainer of the 1950s, developed and built by Établissements Fouga & Cie. It first flew on 23 July 1952 and received the type's first production order on 13 January 1954. Nearly 1,000 were built in France and under licence in West Germany, Israel and Finland. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel's 147 Squadron used 44 Fougas as close-support aircraft against targets on the Sinai front on the first day. During that war, the Fougas were credited with destroying more than 50 tanks and more than 70 other armoured vehicles.