ALBERT

Description: NACA model 11-C was tested according to the general method with the angle of afterbody keel set at five different angles from 2-1/2 degrees to 9 degrees, but without changing other features of the hull. The results of the tests are expressed in curves of test data and of non-dimensional coefficients. At the depth of step used in the tests, 3.3 percent beam, the smaller angles of afterbody keel give greater load-resistance ratios at the hump speed and smaller at high speed than the larger angles of afterbody keel. Comparisons are made of the load-resistance ratios at several other points in the speed range. The effect of variation of the angle of afterbody keel upon the take-off performance of a hypothetical flying boat of 15,000 pounds gross weight having a hull of model 11-C lines is calculated, and the calculations show that the craft with the largest of the angles of afterbody keel tested, 9 degrees, takes off in the least time and distance.

Description: At the request of the Materiel Division, Wright Field, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is conducting a program of flight tests on a Kellett YG-1B autogiro equipped with a new type of rotor blade. The new blades are tapered in both plan form. and thickness and are designed to avoid periodic blade twist. One phase of the investigation, involving determination of the moments of the resultant rotor force about the trunnions on which the hub is pivoted for control, has been completed. The results obtained are reported herein.

Description: Preliminary information on the complex subject of the fatigue strength of fabricated structural members for aircraft is presented in the test results obtained on several different types of airship girders subjected to axial tension and compression in a resonance fatigue machine. A description of this machine as well as numerous photographs of the fatigue failures are given. There is also presented an extended bibliography on the subject of fatigue strength.

Description: Wing ducts for liquid-cooled engine radiators have been investigated in the N.A.C.A. full-scale wind tunnel on a large model airplane. Th e tests were made to determine the relative merits of several types of duct and radiator installations for an airplane of a particular des ign. In the test program the principal duct dimensions were system atically varied, and the results are therefore somewhat applicable to the general problems of wing duct design, although they should be co nsidered as preliminary and only indicative of the inherent possibil ities.

Description: The relative efficiencies of various engine-propeller combinations were the subject of a study that covered the important flight conditions, particularly the take-off. Design charts that graphically correlate the various propeller parameters were prepared to facilitate the solution of problems and also to c1arify the conception of the relationships of the various engine-propeller design factors. It is shown that, among the many methods for improving the take-off thrust, the use of high-pitch, large-diameter controllable propellers turning at low rotational speeds is probably the most generally promising. With such a combination the take-off thrust may be further increased, at the expense of a small loss in cruising efficiency, by compromise designs wherein the pitch setting is slightly reduced and the diameter is further increased. The degree of compromise necessary to accomplish the maximum possible take-off improvement depends on such design factors as overspeeding and overboosting at take-off as well as depending on the design altitude. Both overspeeding and designing for altitude operation have the same effect on the take-off thrust as compromising in that the propulsive efficiency is increased thereby; boosting the engine, however, has the reverse effect on the propulsive efficiency, although the brake horsepower is increased.

Description: Wind-tunnel tests were conducted on a model wing-nacelle combination to determine the practicability of cooling radial engines by forcing the cooling air into wing-duct entrances located in the propeller slipstream, passing the air through the engine baffles from rear to front, and ejecting the air through an annular slot near the front of the nacelle. The tests, which were of a preliminary nature, were made on a 5-foot-chord wing and a 20-inch-diameter nacelle. A 3-blade, 4-foot-diameter propeller was used. The tests indicated that this method of cooling and cowling radial engines is entirely practicable providing the wing of the prospective airplane is sufficiently thick to accommodate efficient entrance ducts , The drag of the cowlings tested was definitely less than for the conventional N.A.C.A. cowling, and the pressure available at low air speed corresponding to operation on the ground and at low flying speeds was apparently sufficient for cooling most present-day radial engines.

Description: An investigation was made in the NACA 5-foot vertical wind tunnel of a large variety of duct inlets and outlets to obtain information relative to their design for the cooling or the ventilation systems on aircraft. Most of the tests were of openings in a flat plate but, in order to determine the best locations and the effects of interference, a few tests were made of openings in an airfoil. The best inlet location for a system not including a blower was found to be at the forward stagnation point; for one including a blower, the best location was found to be in the region of lowest total head, probably in the boundary layer near the trailing edge. Design recommendations are given, and it is shown that correct design demands a knowledge of the external flow and of the internal requirements in addition to that obtained from the results of the wind tunnel tests.

Description: The systematic investigation of wing cooling ducts at the NACA laboratory has been continued with tests in the full-scale wind tunnel on ducts of finite span. These results extend the previous investigation on section characteristics of ducts to higher Reynolds numbers and indicate the losses due to the duct ends. The data include comparisons between ducts completely within the ring and the conventional underslung ducts. Methods of flow regulation were studied and data were obtained for a wide range of internal duct resistance. The results show satisfactory correlation between the finite span and the previously measured section characteristics obtained with full-span ducts. The effects of the various design parameters on the duct characteristics are discussed. The cooling power required for the internal duct installation is shown to be only a small percentage of the engine power.

Description: The effects of the geometrical arrangement of tricycle landing gears on various characteristics of an airplane equipped with such landing gear is discussed. The characteristics discussed include directional stability, overturning tendencies, steering and ground handling, shimmy, takeoff, and porpoising. The conclusions are summarized in a table.

Description: An electrical-type meter has been developed for measuring mass rates of flow of gasoline or other nonconducting fluids. Its temperature dependence is small over a large range and it has no known vibrational or viscosity errors. The maximum temperature rise is less than 5 C. The rates of flow, measurable within 1% with the present instrument, are approximately 100 to 1,000 or more pounds of gasoline per hour when a potentiometer is used, or 100 to 300 pounds per hour when a deflection-type meter is used.

Description: Present designs for large flying boats are characterized by high wing loading, high aspect ratio, and low parasite drag. The high wing loading results in the universal use of flaps for reducing the takeoff and landing speeds. These factors have an effect on takeoff performance and influence to a certain extent the design of the hull. An investigation was made of the influence of various factors and design parameters on the takeoff performance of a hypothetical large flying boat by means of takeoff calculations. The parameters varied in the calculations were size of hull (load coefficient), wing setting, trim, deflection of flap, wing loading, aspect ratio, and parasite drag. The takeoff times and distances were calculated to the stalling speeds and the performance above these speeds was studied separately to determine piloting technique for optimum takeoff. The advantage of quick deflection of the flap at high water speeds is shown.

Description: The fundamental principles of fluid flow, pressure losses, and heat transfer have been presented and analyzed for the case of a smooth tube with fully developed turbulent flow. These equations apply to tubes with large length-diameter ratios where the f1ow is at a high Reynolds Number. The error introduced by using these equations increases as the magnitude of the tube length and the air-flow Reynolds Number approaches the values encountered in modern radiator designs. Accordingly, heat-transfer tests on radiator sections were made and the results are presented in nondimensional form to facilitate their use and for comparison with other heat-transfer data. In addition, pressure losses were measured along smooth tubes of circular, square, and rectangular cross section and the results were also correlated and are presented in nondimensional form. The problem of a radiator design for a particular installation is solved, the experimental heat-transfer and pressure-loss data being used, on a basis of power chargeable to the radiator for form drag, for propelling the weight, and for forcing the air through the radiator. The case of an installation within a wing or an engine nacelle is considered. An illustration of radiator design is carried through for an arbitrary set of conditions. Sufficient detail is given to enable the reader to reproduce the analysis for any given case.

Description: The drag of closed-cockpit and transport-type windshields was determined from tests made at speeds from 200 to 440 miles per hour in the NACA 8-foot high-speed wind tunnel. This speed range corresponds to a test Reynolds number range of 2,510,000 to 4,830,000 based on the mean aerodynamic chord of the full-span model (17.29 inches). The shapes of the windshield proper, the hood, and the tail fairing were systematically varied to include common types and a refined design. Transport types varied from a reproduction of a current type to a completely faired windshield. The results show that the drag of windshields of the same frontal area, on airplanes of small to medium size, may account for 15% of the airplane drag or may be reduced to 1%. Optimum values are given for windshield and tail-fairing lengths; the effect, at various radii is shown. The longitudinal profile of a windshield is shown to be most important and the transverse profile, to be much less important. The effects of retaining strips, of steps for telescoping hoods, and of recessed windows are determined. The results show that the drag of transport-type windshields may account for 21% of the fuselage drag or may be reduced to 2%.

Description: When an airplane is operating at high altitude, it is necessary to use a supercharger to maintain ground pressure at the carburetor inlet. This maintenance and high intake-manifold pressure tends to keep the power output of the engine at ground-level value. The air, being compressed by the supercharger, however, is heated by adiabatic compression and friction to a temperature that seriously affect the performance of the engine. It is thus necessary to use an intercooler to reduce the temperature of the air between the supercharger outlet and the carburetor inlet. The amount of cooling required of the intercooler depend on the efficiency of the supercharger installation. In this investigation, several types of intercoolers were compared and a design procedure that will give the best intercooler for a given set of conditions is indicated. The figure of merit used for the selection of the best design was the total power consumed by the intercooler. This value includes the power required to transport the weight of the intercooler as well as the power used to force the charge air and the cooling air through the intercooler. The cost, size and practicality of construction were not considered, inasmuch as it was thought that a survey of possibilities of improvement in design would be of interest, regardless of whether the improvement could be immediately realized. Three types of intercoolers are included in this survey: a counterflow intercooler with indirect cooling surface in the form of fins, a counterflow intercooler with direct cooling surfaces, and a cross-flow, tube-type intercooler.

Description: An investigation was undertaken to determine the character and importance of the transition phase between the ground run and steady climb in the takeoff of an airplane and the effects of various factors on this phase and on the airborne part of the takeoff as a whole. The information was obtained from a series of step-by-step integrations, which defined the motion of the airplane during the transition and which were based on data derived from actual takeoff tests of a Verville AT airplane. Both normal and zoom takeoffs under several loading and takeoff speed conditions were considered. The effects of a moderate wind with a corresponding wind gradient and the effect of proximity of the ground were also investigated. The results show that, for normal takeoffs, the best transition was realized at the lowest possible takeoff speed. Moreover, this speed gave the shortest overall takeoff distance for normal takeoffs. Zoom takeoffs required a shorter overall takeoff run than normal takeoffs, particularly with a heavy landing, if the obstacle to be cleared was sufficiently high (greater than 50 feet); no advantage was indicated to the airplane with a light loading if the height to be cleared was less. The error resulting from the neglect of the transition in the calculation of the airborne distance of takeoff was found to vary from 4% with the heaviest loading considered to -4% with the lightest loading for normal takeoffs over a 100-ft obstacle; the percentage error was twice as great for a 50-foot obstacle. For zoom takeoffs the error attained much greater values. The average wind gradient corresponding to a 5-mile-per-hour surface wind reduced the airborne distance required to clear a 50-foot obstacle by about 9% with the lightest loading and 16% with the heaviest loading; for both cases. The overall reduction due to this wind was approximately twice that resulting from the wind gradient alone. A simple expression for the reduction of observed takeoff performance to no-wind conditions is presented. Ground effect is shown to reduce the airborne distance to attain a height of 50 foot by 10% with the lightest loading and 16% with the heaviest loading; for a 100-foot obstacle the percentage reduction was about 1/2 as great.

Description: An investigation was made in the NACA 7- by 10-foot wind tunnel of a large-chord wing model with a duct to house a simulated radiator suitable for a liquid-cooled engine. The duct was expanded to reduce the radiator losses, and the installation of the duct and radiator was made entirely within the wing to reduce form and interference drag. The tests were made using a two-dimensional flow set-up with a full-span duct and radiator. Section aerodynamic characteristics of the basic airfoil are given and also curves showing the characteristics of the various duct-radiator combinations. An expression for efficiency, the primary criterion of merit of any duct, and the effect of the several design parameters of the duct-radiator arrangement are discussed. The problem of throttling is considered and a discussion of the power required for cooling is included. It was found that radiators could be mounted in the wing and efficiently pass enough air for cooling with duct outlets located at any point from 0.25c to 0.70c from the wing leading edge on the upper surface. The duct-inlet position was found to be critical and, for maximum efficiency, had to be at the stagnation point of the airfoil and to change with flight attitude. The flow could be efficiently throttled only by a simultaneous variation of duct inlet and outlet sizes and of inlet position. It was desirable to round both inlet and outlet lips. With certain arrangements of duct, the power required for cooling at high speed was a very low percentage of the engine power.

Description: The torsional deflection of the blades of three full-scale duralumin propellers operating under various loading conditions was measured by a light-beam method. Angular bending deflections were also obtained as an incidental part of the study. The deflection measurements showed that the usual present-day type of propeller blades twisted but a negligible amount under ordinary flight conditions. A maximum deflection of about 1/10th of a degree was found at V/nD of 0.3 and a smaller deflection at higher values of V/nD for the station at 0.70 radius. These deflections are much smaller than would be expected from earlier tests, but the light-beam method is considered to be much more accurate than the direct-reading transit method used in the previous tests.

Description: A 1/3.5 full-size model of the Mark V float of the Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, was tested in the NACA tank both with smooth painted bottom surfaces and with roundhead rivets, plate laps, and keel plates fitted to simulate the actual bottom of a metal float. The augmentation in water resistance due to the added roughness was found to be from 10-12% at the hum speed and from 12-14% at high speeds. The effect of the roughness of the afterbody was found to be negligible except at high trims. The model data were extrapolated to full size by the usual method which assumes the forces to vary according to Froude's law, and in the case of the smooth model by a method of separation that takes into account the effect of scale on the frictional resistance. It was concluded that the effect of rivet heads on the takeoff performance of a relatively high-powered float seaplane is of little consequence but that it may be of greater importance in the case of more moderately powered flying boats.

Description: In many installations of castering rubber-tired wheels there is a tendency for the wheel to oscillate violently about the spindle axis. This phenomenon, popularly called 'shimmy,' has occurred in some airplane tail wheels and has been corrected in two ways: first by the application of friction in the spindles of the tail wheels; and, second, by locking the wheels while taxiing at high speeds. Shimmy is common with the large wheels used as nose wheels in tricycle landing gears and, since it is impossible to lock the wheels, friction in the nose-wheel spindle has been the sole means of correction. Because the nose wheel is larger than the conventional tail wheel and usually carries a greater load, the larger amounts of spindle friction necessary to prevent shimmy are objectionable. the present paper presents a theoretical and experimental study of the problem of the stability of castering wheels for airplane landing gears. On the basis of simplified assumptions induced from experimental observations, a theoretical study has been made of the shimmy of castering wheels. The theory is based on the discovery of a phenomenon called 'kinematic shimmy' and is compared quantitatively with the results of model experiments. Experimental checks, using a model having low-pressure tires, are reported and the applicability of the results to full scale is discussed. Theoretical methods of estimating the spindle viscous damping and spindle solid friction necessary to avoid shimmy - lateral freedom - is introduced.

Description: This report describes and gives the results of tests made to determine the effect of lateral inclination of the propeller thrust axis to the direction of flight. A wing-nacelle-propeller combination with the nacelle axis located successively parallel to and at 15 degrees to the perpendicular to the leading edge of a wing was tested with the combination at several angles of yaw. Tests of the wing alone at the same angles of yaw were also made. The data are presented in the usual graphic form. An increase in propulsive efficiency with increase in angle of the thrust axis was found. The change in net efficiency, found by charging the whole nacelle drag to the power unit, was negligible, however, within the range of the tests.

Description: With some airplanes the approach to the stall is accompanied by changes in the behavior, such as tail buffeting or changes in the control characteristics of the airplane so that the pilot obtains a warning of the impending stall. Vith other airplanes it is possible to approach the stall without any perceptible warning other than the reading of the air-speed meter, in which case the danger of inadvertent stalling is considerably greater. Although it is not within the scope of this paper to discuss stalling characteristics, it is desired to point out that in general the danger of inadvertent stalling is greatest with those airplanes that behave worse when the stalling occurs; that is, with airplanes in which the stall starts at the wing tips. A warning of the impending stall is desirable in any case, but is particularly desirable with airplanes of the latter type.

Description: The pressure distribution on the fuselage of a midwing airplane model was measured in the NACA 8-foot high speed wind tunnel at speeds from 140 to 440 miles per hour for lift coefficients ranging from -0.2 to 1.0. The primary purpose of the tests was to provide data showing the air pressures on various parts of the fuselage for use in structural design. The data may also be used for the design of scoops and vents. The results show that the highest negative pressures occurred near the wing and were more dependent on the wing than on the fuselage. At high speeds, the magnitude of the pressure coefficients as predicted from pressure coefficients determined experimentally at low speeds by application of the theoretical factor 1/(square root)1-M(exp 2) (where M is the ratio of the air speed to the speed of sound in air) may misrepresent the actual conditions. At the points where the maximum negative pressures ocurred, however, the variation of the pressure coefficients was in good agreement with the theoretical factor, indicating that this factor may afford satisfactory predictions of critical speed, at least for fuselages similar to the shape tested.