ALBERT

Description: An investigation has been made in the Langley 8-foot transonic tunnels on the aerodynamic characteristics of a 0.15-scale model of the North American Aviation 255-inch fin-stabilized external store over a maximum Mach number range of 0.60 to 1.2 and on the effects of mounting lugs, of fin orientation, of fin aspect ratio, and of fixed-transition. The Reynolds number (based on a body length of 37.50 inches) varied from 9.8 x 10(exp 6) to 13.1 x 10(exp 6). The results indicate that the static margin of the finned store at low lift coefficients was only 9 percent of body length at subsonic Mach numbers and was reduced to zero at a Mach number of 1.0, Increasing the fin aspect ratio from 1.82 to 2.41 increased the subsonic static margin to 18 percent and provided a minimum margin of 9 percent near a Mach number of l.O. Store mounting lugs or fin orientation had only small effects on the aerodynamic characteristics of the basic store.

Description: A flight investigation was conducted to determine the effect of jet exhaust on the drag, trim characteristics, and afterbody pressures on a 0.125-scale rocket model of the McDonnell F-101A airplance. Power-off data were obtained over a Mach number range of 1.04 to 1.9 and power-on data were obtained at a Mach number of about 1.5. The data indicated that with power-on the change in external drag coefficient was within the data accuracy and there was a decrease in trim angle of attack of 1.27 degrees with a corresponding decrease of 0.07 in lift coefficient. Correspondingly, pressure coefficients on the side and bottom of the fuselage indicated a positive increment near the jet exit. As the distance downstream of the jet exit increased, the increment on the bottom of the fuselage increased, whereas the increments on the side decreased to a negative peak.

Description: An investigation was performed in the Langley Unitary Plan wind tunnel to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of a model of a 450 swept-wing fighter airplane, and to determine the loads on attached stores and detached missiles in the presence of the model. Also included was a determination of aileron-spoiler effectiveness, aileron hinge moments, and the effects of wing modifications on model aerodynamic characteristics. Tests were performed at Mach numbers of 1.57, 1.87, 2.16, and 2.53. The Reynolds numbers for the tests, based on the mean aerodynamic chord of the wing, varied from about 0.9 x 10(exp 6) to 5 x 10(exp 6). The results are presented with minimum analysis.

Description: A flight investigation was conducted to determine the effects of an inlet modification and rocket-rack extension on the longitudinal trim and low-lift drag of the Douglas F5D-1 airplane. The investigation was conducted with a 0.125-scale rocket-boosted model which was flight tested at the Langley Pilotless Aircraft Research Station at Wallops Island, Va. Results indicate that the combined effects of the modified inlet and fully extended rocket racks on the trim lift coefficient and trim angle of attack were small between Mach numbers of 0.94 and 1.57. Between Mach numbers of 1.10 and 1.57 there was an average increase in drag coefficient of about o,005 for the model with modified inlet and extended rocket racks. The change in drag coefficient due to the inlet modification alone is small between Mach numbers of 1.59 and 1.64

Description: The hazards of lightning strokes to aircraft fuel tanks have been investigated in artificial-lightning-generation facilities specifically constructed to duplicate closely the natural lightning discharges to air craft determined through flight research programs and analysis of lightning-damaged aircraft over a period of many years. Explosion studies were made in an environmental explosion chamber using small fuel tanks under various simulated flight conditions. The results showed that there is a primary hazard whenever there is direct puncture of the fuel-tank wall, whereas the ignition of fuel by hot spots on tank walls due to lightning strikes is unlikely. Punctures of fuel-tank walls by artificial-lightning discharges produced explosions of the fuel in the mixture range from excessively lean to rich mixtures. None of the aluminum alloys, 0.081 inch thick or over, were punctured by the laboratory discharges representative of natural-lightning discharges to aircraft; however, reliance on this wall thickness for complete protection would not be justified, because occasional strokes are known to be of greater magnitude and because statistics reveal variations in the damage pattern. Data gathered by the Lightning and Transients Research Institute on lightning strokes to aircraft show that 90 percent of the strokes recorded have occurred in the temperature range of -10 to +10 C, where many of the jet fuels are flammable but where aviation gasoline is overrich. Also, 10 percent of the strokes recorded have been to the wings, which are the principal fuel-storage areas for modern aircraft. Thus, there is a hazard, particularly for jet fuels. Certain protective measures are indicated by the studies to date, such as the use of lightning diverter rods, thickening of the wing skin in areas near the most probable stroke paths, and the use of fuel-tank liners in critical areas.

Description: The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics has conducted a flight test of a model approximating the McDonnell F3H-lN airplane configuration to determine its pitch-up and buffet boundaries, as well as the usual longitudinal stability derivatives obtainable from the pulsed- tail technique. The test was conducted by the freely flying rocket- boosted model technique developed at the Langley Laboratory; results were obtained at Mach numbers from 0.40 to 1.27 at corresponding Reynolds numbers of 2.6 x 10(exp 6) and 9.0 x 10(exp 6). The phenomena of pitch-up, buffet, and maximum lift were encountered at Mach numbers between 0.42 and 0.85. The lift-curve slope and wing-root bending-moment slope increased with increasing angle of attack, whereas the static stability decreased with angle of attack at subsonic speeds and increased at transonic speeds. There was little change in trim at low lift at transonic speeds.

Description: Four solid-propellant rocket engines of nominal 1000-pound-thrust were tested for starting characteristics at pressure altitudes ranging from 112,500 to 123,000 feet and at a temperature of -75 F. All engines ignited and operated successfully. Average chamber pressures ranged from 1060 to ll90 pounds per square inch absolute with action times from 1.51 to 1.64 seconds and ignition delays from 0.070 t o approximately 0.088 second. The chamber pressures and action times were near the specifications, but the ignition delay was almost twice the specified value of 0.040 second.

Description: Values of the normal component of induced velocity throughout the entire field of a uniformly loaded r(rotor at high high speed are presented in the form of charts and tables. Many points were found by an electromagnetic analog, details of which are given. Comparisons of computed and analog values for the induced velocity indicate that the latter are sufficiently accurate for engineering purposes.