The Effect of Streamlining the Afterbody of an N.A.C.A. Cowling (open access)

The Effect of Streamlining the Afterbody of an N.A.C.A. Cowling

"The drag and the power cost associated with the changing of the nose of a nacelle from a streamline shape to a conventional N.A.C.A. cowling shape was investigated in the N.A.C.A. 20-foot tunnel. Full-scale propellers and nacelles were used. The increment of drag associated with the change of nose shapes was found to be critically dependent on the afterbody of the nacelle" (p. 1).
Date: December 1939
Creator: Stickle, George W.; Crigler, John L. & Naiman, Irven
System: The UNT Digital Library
Profile-Drag Investigation of an Airplane Wing Equipped with Rubber Inflatable De-Icer (open access)

Profile-Drag Investigation of an Airplane Wing Equipped with Rubber Inflatable De-Icer

"The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics has made profile-drag measurements in flight of a wing which was equipped with a rubber inflatable de-icer and to which various stimulated ice formations were attached. Tuft observations at the stalling speed of the wing with the various drag conditions were made in order to determine the influence on the maximum lift coefficient. The de-icer installation caused an increase of from 10-20% in the profile drag of the plain wing and reduced CL(sub max) about 6%" (p. 1).
Date: December 1939
Creator: Rodert, Lewis A. & Jones, Alun R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Engine Operation in Flight for Minimum Fuel Consumption (open access)

Engine Operation in Flight for Minimum Fuel Consumption

"Engine and airplane performance data have been gathered from various sources and analyzed to determine indications of the most economical methods of flight operation from a consideration of fuel expenditure. The analysis includes the influence of such facts as fuel-air ratio, engine speed, engine knock, altitude, cylinder cooling, spark timing, and limits of cruising brake mean effective pressure. The results indicate that the cheapest power is obtained with approximately correct mixture at low engine speed and highest permissible manifold pressure" (p. 1).
Date: November 1939
Creator: Reuter, George
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Investigation of the Prevention of Ice on the Airplane Windshield (open access)

An Investigation of the Prevention of Ice on the Airplane Windshield

"An investigation has been completed on several methods for the prevention and removal of ice on an airplane windshield. Tests were made on the use of electric heating, hot-air heating, and an alcohol-dispensing, rotating wiper blade. The results showed that vision through the airplane windshield could be maintained during severe icing conditions by the use of heat" (p. 1).
Date: November 1939
Creator: Rodert, Lewis A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pressure Distribution on the Fuselage of a Midwing Airplane Model at High Speeds (open access)

Pressure Distribution on the Fuselage of a Midwing Airplane Model at High Speeds

"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" (p. 1).
Date: November 1939
Creator: Delano, James B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tandem Air Propellers - 2 (open access)

Tandem Air Propellers - 2

"Tests of three-blade, adjustable-pitch counterrotating tandem model propellers, adjusted to absorb equal power at maximum efficiency of the combination, were made at Stanford University. The aerodynamic characteristics, for blade-angle settings of 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, and 65 degrees at 0.75R of the forward propeller and for diameters spacings of 8-1/2, 15 and 30% were compared with those of three-blade and six-blade propellers of the same blade form. It was found that, in order to realize the condition of equal power at maximum efficiency, the blade angles for the rear propeller must be generally less than for the forward propeller, the difference increasing the blade angle" (p. 1).
Date: October 1939
Creator: Lesley, E. P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Electrical-Type Indicating Fuel Flowmeter (open access)

An Electrical-Type Indicating Fuel Flowmeter

"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" (p. 1).
Date: September 1939
Creator: Tozier, Robert E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intercooler Design for Aircraft, Special Report (open access)

Intercooler Design for Aircraft, Special Report

"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" (p. 1).
Date: September 1939
Creator: Brevoort, M. J.; Joyner, U. T. & Leifer, M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tests of Several Model Nacelle-Propeller Arrangements in Front of a Wing (open access)

Tests of Several Model Nacelle-Propeller Arrangements in Front of a Wing

"An investigation was conducted in the N.A.C.A. 20-foot wind tunnel to determine the drag, the propulsive and net efficiencies, and the cooling characteristics of several scale-model arrangements of air-cooled radial-engine nacelles and present-day propellers in front of an 18- percent-thick, 5- by 15-foot airfoil. This report deals with an investigation of wing-nacelle arrangements simulating the geometric proportions of airplanes in the 40,000- to 70,000- pound weight classification and having the nacelles located in the vicinity of the optimum location determined from the earlier tests" (p. 1).
Date: September 1939
Creator: McHugh, James G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drag and Propulsive Characteristics of Air-Cooled Engine-Nacelle Installations for Large Airplanes, Special Report (open access)

Drag and Propulsive Characteristics of Air-Cooled Engine-Nacelle Installations for Large Airplanes, Special Report

"An investigation is in progress in the NACA full-scale wind tunnel to determine the drag and propulsive efficiency of nacelle sizes. In contrast with the usual tests with a single nacelle, these tests were conducted with nacelle-propeller installations on a large model of a 4-engine airplane. Data are presented on the first part of the investigation, covering seven nacelle arrangements with nacelle diameters from 0.53 to 1.5 times the wing thickness" (p. 1).
Date: August 1939
Creator: Silverstein, Abe & Wilson, Herbert A., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Preliminary Investigation of Certain Laminar-Flow Airfoils for Application at High Speeds and Reynolds Numbers (open access)

Preliminary Investigation of Certain Laminar-Flow Airfoils for Application at High Speeds and Reynolds Numbers

"In order to extend the useful range of Reynolds numbers of airfoils designed to take advantage of the extensive laminar boundary layers possible in an air stream of low turbulence, tests were made of the NACA 2412-34 and 1412-34 sections in the NACA low-turbulence tunnel. Although the possible extent of the laminar boundary layer on these airfoils is not so great as for specially designed laminar-flow airfoils, it is greater than that for conventional airfoils, and is sufficiently extensive so that at Reynolds numbers above 11,000,000 the laminar region is expected to be limited by the permissible 'Reynolds number run' and not by laminar separation as is the case with conventional airfoils" (p. 1).
Date: August 1939
Creator: Jacobs, E. N.; Abbott, Ira H. & von Doenhoff, A. E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Preliminary Tests of Nose- and Side- Entrance Blower Cooling Systems for Radial Engines, Special Report (open access)

Preliminary Tests of Nose- and Side- Entrance Blower Cooling Systems for Radial Engines, Special Report

"Two cowling systems intended to reduce the drag and improve the low-speed cooling characteristics of conventional radial engine cowlings were tested in model form to determine the practicability of the methods. One cowling included a blower mounted on the rear face of a large propeller spinner which drew cooling air in through side entrance ducts located behind the equivalent engine orifice plate. The air was passed through the equivalent engine orifice plate from rear to front and out through a slot between the spinner and the engine plate" (p. 1).
Date: July 1939
Creator: Biermann, David & Valentine, E. Floyd
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Calculated Effect of Various Hydrodynamic and Aerodynamic Factors on the Take-Off of a Large Flying Boat (open access)

The Calculated Effect of Various Hydrodynamic and Aerodynamic Factors on the Take-Off of a Large Flying Boat

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.
Date: June 1939
Creator: Olson, R. E. & Allison, J. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Investigation of the Drag of Windshields in the 8-Foot High-Speed Wind Tunnel (open access)

An Investigation of the Drag of Windshields in the 8-Foot High-Speed Wind Tunnel

"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" (p. 1).
Date: June 1939
Creator: Robinson, Russell G. & Delano, James B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Preliminary Tests of Blowers of Three Designs Operating in Conjunction with a Wing-Duct Cooling System for Radial Engines, Special Report (open access)

Preliminary Tests of Blowers of Three Designs Operating in Conjunction with a Wing-Duct Cooling System for Radial Engines, Special Report

"This paper is one of several dealing with methods intended to reduce the drag of present-day radial engine installations and improve the cooling at zero and low air speeds. The present paper describes model wind-tunnel tests of blowers of three designs tested in conjunction with a wing-nacelle combination. The principle of operation involved consists of drawing cooling air into ducts located in the wing root at the point of maximum slipstream velocity, passing the air through the engine baffles from rear to front, and exhausting the air through an annular slot located between the propeller and the engine with the aid of a blower mounted on the spinner" (p. 1).
Date: June 1939
Creator: Biermann, David & Valentine, E. Floyd
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tests of Airfoils Designed to Delay the Compressibility Burble (open access)

Tests of Airfoils Designed to Delay the Compressibility Burble

"Development of airfoil sections suitable for high-speed applications has generally been difficult because little was known of the flow phenomenon that occurs at high speeds. A definite critical speed has been found at which serious detrimental flow changes occur that lead to serious losses in lift and large increases in drag. This flow phenomenon, called the compressibility burble, was originally a propeller problem, but with the development of higher speed aircraft serious consideration must be given to other parts of the airplane" (p. 1).
Date: June 1939
Creator: Stack, John
System: The UNT Digital Library
Experiments on the Recovery of Waste Heat in Cooling Ducts, Special Report (open access)

Experiments on the Recovery of Waste Heat in Cooling Ducts, Special Report

Tests have been conducted in the N.A.C.A. full-scale wind tunnel to investigate the partial recovery of the heat energy which is apparently wasted in the cooling of aircraft engines. The results indicate that if the radiator is located in an expanded duct, a part of the energy lost in cooling is recovered; however, the energy recovery is not of practical importance up to airplane speeds of 400 miles per hour. Throttling of the duct flow occurs with heated radiators and must be considered in designing the duct outlets from data obtained with cold radiators in the ducts.
Date: May 1939
Creator: Silverstein, Abe
System: The UNT Digital Library
Radiator Design and Installation (open access)

Radiator Design and Installation

"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 flow 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" (p. 1).
Date: May 1939
Creator: Brevoort, M. J. & Leifer, M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
High-Speed Tests of Radial-Engine Cowlings (open access)

High-Speed Tests of Radial-Engine Cowlings

The drag characteristics of eight radial-engine cowlings have been determined over a wide speed range in the N.A.C.A. 8-foot high-speed wind tunnel. The pressure distribution over all cowlings was measured, to and above the speed of the compressibility burble, as an aid in interpreting the force tests. One-fifth-scale models of radial-engine cowlings on a wing-nacelle combination mere used in the tests.
Date: April 1939
Creator: Robinson, Russell G. & Becker, John V.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Full-Scale Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Wing-Cooling Ducts Effects of Propeller Slipstream, Special Report (open access)

Full-Scale Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Wing-Cooling Ducts Effects of Propeller Slipstream, Special Report

Report presenting an investigation of finite span wing-cooling ducts that has been extended to include a study of the effects of slipstream on the duct characteristics. The results indicated that the propeller slipstream is effective in generating a flow of air through the ducts of the ground condition.
Date: March 1939
Creator: Nickle, F. R. & Freeman, Arthur B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Investigation of an Electrically Heated Airplane Windshield for Ice Prevention, Special Report (open access)

Investigation of an Electrically Heated Airplane Windshield for Ice Prevention, Special Report

"A study was made at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Laboratory of the operation of an electrically heated glass panel, which simulated a segment of an airplane windshield, to determine if ice formations, which usually result in the loss of visibility, could be prevented. Tests were made in the 7- by 3-foot ice tunnel, and in flight, under artificially created ice-forming conditions. Ice was prevented from forming on the windshield model in the tunnel by 1.25 watts of power per square inch with the air temperature at 23 F and a velocity of 80 miles per hour" (p. 1).
Date: March 1939
Creator: Rodert, Lewis A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Preliminary Model Tests of a Wing-Duct Cooling System for Radial Engines, Special Report (open access)

Preliminary Model Tests of a Wing-Duct Cooling System for Radial Engines, Special Report

"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 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" (p. 1).
Date: February 1939
Creator: Biermann, David & Valentine, E. Floyd
System: The UNT Digital Library
Interference of Tail Surfaces and Wing and Fuselage from Tests of 17 Combinations in the N.A.C.A. Variable-Density Tunnel (open access)

Interference of Tail Surfaces and Wing and Fuselage from Tests of 17 Combinations in the N.A.C.A. Variable-Density Tunnel

"An investigation of the interference associated with tail surfaces added to wing-fuselage combinations was included in the interference program in progress in the NACA variable-density tunnel. The results indicate that, in aerodynamically clean combinations, the increment to the high-speed drag can be estimated from section characteristics within useful limits of accuracy. The interference appears mainly as effects on the downwash angel and as losses in the tail" (p. 1).
Date: January 1939
Creator: Sherman, Albert
System: The UNT Digital Library