A Preliminary Investigation of Supercharging an Air-Cooled Engine in Flight (open access)

A Preliminary Investigation of Supercharging an Air-Cooled Engine in Flight

"This report presents the results of preliminary tests made on the effects of supercharging an air-cooled engine under airplane flight conditions. Service training airplanes were used in the investigation equipped with production types of Wright J engines. A N.A.C.A. Roots type supercharger was driven from the rear of the engine. In addition to measuring those quantities that would enable the determination of the climb performance, measurements were made of the cylinder-head temperatures and the carburetor pressures and temperatures" (p. 83).
Date: July 30, 1927
Creator: Ware, Marsden & Schey, Oscar W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Investigation of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of an Airplane Equipped with Several Different Sets of Wings (open access)

An Investigation of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of an Airplane Equipped with Several Different Sets of Wings

This investigation was conducted by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at Langley Field, Va., at the request of the Army Air Corps, for the purpose of comparing the full scale lift and drag characteristics of an airplane equipped with several sets of wings of commonly used airfoil sections. A Sperry Messenger Airplane with wings of R.A.F.-15, U.S.A.-5, U.S.A.-27, and Gottingen 387 airfoil sections was flown and the lift and drag characteristics of the airplane with each set of wings were determined by means of glide tests. The results are presented in tabular and curve form.
Date: July 9, 1928
Creator: Crowley, J. W., Jr. & Green, M. W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The pressure distribution over the horizontal and vertical tail surfaces of the F6C-4 pursuit airplane in violent maneuvers (open access)

The pressure distribution over the horizontal and vertical tail surfaces of the F6C-4 pursuit airplane in violent maneuvers

"This investigation of the pressure distribution on the tail surfaces of a pursuit airplane in violent maneuvers was conducted for the purpose of determining the maximum loads likely to be encountered on these surfaces in flight. The information is a part of that needed for a revision of existing loading specifications to bring these into closer agreement with the actual flight conditions. A standard F6C-4 airplane was used and the pressure distribution over the right horizontal and complete vertical tail surfaces was recorded throughout violent maneuvers. The results show that the existing loading specifications do not conform satisfactorily to the loadings existent in critical conditions, and in some cases were exceeded by the loads obtained" (p. 539).
Date: July 9, 1928
Creator: Rhode, R. V.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effect of variation of chord and span of ailerons on rolling and yawing moments in level flight (open access)

Effect of variation of chord and span of ailerons on rolling and yawing moments in level flight

This report presents the results of an investigation of the rolling and yawing moments due to ailerons of various chords and spans on two airfoils having the Clark Y and U. S. A. 27 wing sections. Some attention is devoted to a study of the effect of scale on rolling and yawing moments and to the effect of slightly rounding the wing tips. The results apply to level flight with the wing chord set at an angle of attack of +4 degrees and to conditions of zero pitch, zero yaw, and zero roll of the airplane. It is planned later to extend the investigation to other attitudes for monoplane and biplane combinations. The work was conducted in the 10 foot wind tunnel of the Bureau of Standards on models of 60-inch span and 10-inch chord. (author).
Date: July 10, 1928
Creator: Heald, R. H. & Strother, D. H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Full-Scale Wind-Tunnel Tests of a Series of Metal Propellers on a VE-7 Airplane (open access)

Full-Scale Wind-Tunnel Tests of a Series of Metal Propellers on a VE-7 Airplane

"An adjustable blade metal propeller was tested at five different angle settings, forming a series varying in pitch. The propeller was mounted on a VE-7 airplane in the twenty-foot propeller research tunnel of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The efficiencies were found to be from 4 to 7 per cent higher than those of standard wood propellers operating under the same conditions. The results are given in convenient form for use in selecting propellers for aircraft" (p. 521).
Date: July 13, 1928
Creator: Weick, Fred E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A new chart for estimating the absolute ceiling of an airplane (open access)

A new chart for estimating the absolute ceiling of an airplane

This report is concerned with the derivation of a chart for estimating the absolute ceiling of an airplane. This chart may be used in conjunction with the usual curves of power required and power available as an accurate substitute for extended calculation, or it may be used in the estimation of absolute ceiling when power curves are not available.
Date: July 1930
Creator: Diehl, Walter S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Airfoil section characteristics as affected by protuberances (open access)

Airfoil section characteristics as affected by protuberances

From Introduction: "The present report deals with another phase of the investigation; that is, the effects on airfoil section characteristics of protuberances extending along the entire span from the airfoil surface."
Date: July 11, 1932
Creator: Jacobs, Eastman N.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Working Charts for the Determination of the Lift Distribution Between Biplane Wings (open access)

Working Charts for the Determination of the Lift Distribution Between Biplane Wings

"In this report are presented empirical working charts from which the distribution of lift between wings, that is the fraction of the total lift borne by each, can be determined in the positive lift range for any ordinary biplane cellule whose individual wings have the same profile. The variables taken directly into account include airfoil section, stagger, gap/chord ratio, decalage, chord ratio, and overhang. It is shown that the influence of unequal sweepback and unequal dihedral in upper and lower wings may be properly provided for by utilizing the concepts of average stagger and average gap/chord ratio, respectively" (p. 93).
Date: July 11, 1932
Creator: Kuhn, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wind-tunnel research comparing lateral control devices, particularly at high angles of attack 6: skewed ailerons on rectangular wings (open access)

Wind-tunnel research comparing lateral control devices, particularly at high angles of attack 6: skewed ailerons on rectangular wings

"This report covers the sixth of a series of investigations in which various lateral control devices are compared with particular reference to their effectiveness at high angles of attack. The present report deals with flap-type ailerons hinged about axes having an angle with respect to the leading and trailing edges of the wing. Tests were made on four different skewed ailerons, including two different angles of skew and two sizes of ailerons" (p. 81).
Date: July 12, 1932
Creator: Weick, Fred E. & Harris, Thomas A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wing pressure distribution and rotor-blade motion of an autogiro as determined in flight (open access)

Wing pressure distribution and rotor-blade motion of an autogiro as determined in flight

From Summary: "This report presents the results of tests in which the pressure distribution over the fixed wing of an autogiro was determined in both steady and accelerated flight. In the steady-flight condition, the rotor-blade motion was also measured. These data show that in steady flight the rotor speed as a function of the air speed is largely affected by the variation of the division of load between the rotor and the wing; as the load on the wing increases, the rotor speed decreases."
Date: July 31, 1933
Creator: Wheatley, John B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wind-tunnel research comparing lateral control devices particularly at high angles of attack 13: auxiliary airfoils used as external ailerons (open access)

Wind-tunnel research comparing lateral control devices particularly at high angles of attack 13: auxiliary airfoils used as external ailerons

This is the thirteenth report on a series of systematic tests comparing lateral control devices with particular reference to their effectiveness at high angles of attack. The present wind tunnel tests were made to determine the most feasible locations for lateral control surfaces mounted externally to a rectangular Clark y wing.
Date: July 23, 1934
Creator: Weick, Fred E. & Noyes, Richard W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Prechamber compression-ignition engine performance (open access)

Prechamber compression-ignition engine performance

Single-cylinder compression-ignition engine tests were made to investigate the performance characteristics of prechamber type of cylinder head. Certain fundamental variables influencing engine performance -- clearance distribution, size, shape, and direction of the passage connecting the cylinder and prechamber, shape of prechamber, cylinder clearance, compression ratio, and boosting -- were independently tested. Results of motoring and of power tests, including several typical indicator cards, are presented.
Date: July 7, 1936
Creator: Moore, Charles S. & Collins, John H., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Flight measurements of the dynamic longitudinal stability of several airplanes and a correlation of the measurements with pilots' observations of handling characteristics (open access)

Flight measurements of the dynamic longitudinal stability of several airplanes and a correlation of the measurements with pilots' observations of handling characteristics

The dynamic longitudinal stability characteristics of eight airplanes as defined by the period and damping of the longitudinal oscillations were measured in flight to determine the degree of stability that may be expected in conventional airplanes. An attempt was made to correlate the measured stability with pilots' opinions of the general handling characteristics of the airplanes in order to obtain an indication of the most desirable degree of dynamic stability. The results of the measurements show that the period of oscillation increases with speed. At low speeds a range of periods from 11 to 23 seconds was recorded for the different airplanes. At high speeds the periods ranged from 23 to 64 seconds. The damping showed no definite trend with speed.
Date: July 15, 1936
Creator: Soulé, Hartley A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The variation with Reynolds number of pressure distribution over an airfoil section (open access)

The variation with Reynolds number of pressure distribution over an airfoil section

Pressures were simultaneously measured at 54 orifices distributed over the midspan section of a 5 by 30-inch rectangular model of the NACA 4412 airfoil in the variable-density tunnel. These measurements were made at 17 angles of attack from -20 degrees to 30 degrees for eight values of the effective Reynolds number form approximately 100,000 to 8,200,000. Accurate data were thus obtained for studying the variation of pressure distribution with Reynolds number. These results on the NACA 4412 section indicated that the pressure distribution is practically unaffected by changes in Reynolds number except where separation is involved.
Date: July 14, 1937
Creator: Pinkerton, Robert M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Compressibility Burble and the Effect of Compressibility on Pressures and Forces Acting on an Airfoil (open access)

The Compressibility Burble and the Effect of Compressibility on Pressures and Forces Acting on an Airfoil

"Simultaneous air-flow photographs and pressure-distribution measurements were made of the NACA 4412 airfoil at high speeds to determine the physical nature of the compressibility burble. The tests were conducted in the NACA 24-inch high-speed wind tunnel. The flow photographs were obtained by the Schlieren method and the pressures were simultaneously measured for 54 stations in the 5-inch-chord airfoil by means of a multiple-tube manometer. Following the general program, a few measurements of total-pressure loss in the wake of the airfoil at high speeds were made to illustrate the magnitude of the losses involved and the extent of the disturbed region; and, finally, in order to relate this work to earlier force-test data, a force test of a 5-inch-chord NACA 4412 airfoil was made" (p. 73).
Date: July 6, 1938
Creator: Stack, John; Lindsey, W. F. & Littell, Robert E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Design Charts for Predicting Downwash Angles and Wake Characteristics Behind Plain and Flapped Wings (open access)

Design Charts for Predicting Downwash Angles and Wake Characteristics Behind Plain and Flapped Wings

"Equations and design charts are given for predicting the downwash angles and the wake characteristics for power-off conditions behind plain and flapped wings of the types used in modern design practice. The downwash charts cover the cases of elliptical wings and wings of taper ratios 1, 2, 3, and 5, with aspect ratios of 6, 9, and 12, having flaps covering 0, 40, 70, and 100 percent of the span. Curves of the span load distributions for all these cases are included" (p. 1).
Date: July 14, 1938
Creator: Silverstein, Abe & Katzoff, S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Propeller analysis from experimental data (open access)

Propeller analysis from experimental data

The operation of the propeller is analyzed by the use of the distribution of forces along the radius, combined with theoretical equations. The data were obtained in the NACA 20-foot wind tunnel on a 4-foot-diameter, two-blade propeller, operating in front of four body shapes, ranging from a small shaft to support the propeller to conventional NACA cowling. A method of estimating the axial and the rotational energy in the wake as a fractional part of the propeller power is given. A knowledge of the total thrust and torque is necessary for the estimation.
Date: July 19, 1940
Creator: Stickle, George W. & Crigler, John L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A high-speed motion-picture study of normal combustion, knock and preignition in a spark-ignition engines (open access)

A high-speed motion-picture study of normal combustion, knock and preignition in a spark-ignition engines

Combustion in a spark-ignition engine was investigated by means of the NACA high-speed motion-picture cameras. This camera is operated at a speed of 40,000 photographs a second and therefore makes possible the study of changes that take place in the intervals as short as 0.000025 second. When the motion pictures are projected at the normal speed of 16 frames a second, any rate of movement shown is slowed down 2500 times. Photographs are presented of normal combustion, of combustion from preignitions, and of knock both with and without preignition. The photographs of combustion show that knock may be preceded by a period of exothermic reaction in the end zone that persists for a time interval of as much as 0.0006 second. The knock takes place in 0.00005 second or less.
Date: July 24, 1940
Creator: Rothrock, A. M.; Spencer, R. C. & Miller, Cearcy D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pressure distribution over an NACA 23012 airfoil with a fixed slot and a slotted flap (open access)

Pressure distribution over an NACA 23012 airfoil with a fixed slot and a slotted flap

Report presents the results of a pressure-distribution investigation conducted in the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory 7 by 10-foot wind tunnel to determine the air loads on an NACA 23012 airfoil in combination with a fixed leading-edge slot and a slotted flap. Pressures were measured over the upper and lower surfaces of the component parts of the combination for several angles of attack and at several flap settings. The data, presented as pressure diagrams and graphs of section coefficients, are applicable to rib, slat, and flap designs for the combination.
Date: July 30, 1941
Creator: Harris, Thomas A. & Lowry, John G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wind-Tunnel Tests of Four- and Six-Blade Single- and Dual-Rotating Tractor Propellers (open access)

Wind-Tunnel Tests of Four- and Six-Blade Single- and Dual-Rotating Tractor Propellers

"Test of 10-foot diameter, four and six blade single-rotating and dual-rotating propellers were conducted in the NACA propeller-research tunnel. The propellers were mounted at the front end of a streamline body incorporating spinners to house the hub portions. The effect of a symmetrical wing mounted in the slipstream ranged from 20 degrees to 65 degrees setting corresponds to airplane speeds greater than 500 miles per hour. The results indicate that dual-rotating propellers were from 0 to 6 percent more efficient than single-rotating ones; but, when the propellers operated in the presence of a wing, the gain was reduced by about one-half" (p. 319).
Date: July 13, 1942
Creator: Biermann, David & Hartman, Edwin P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Analysis of Heat and Compressibility Effects in Internal Flow Systems and High-Speed Tests of a Ram-Jet System (open access)

Analysis of Heat and Compressibility Effects in Internal Flow Systems and High-Speed Tests of a Ram-Jet System

Report discussing an analysis has been made by the NACA of the effects of heat and compressibility in the flow through the internal systems of aircraft along with equations and charts are developed whereby the flow characteristics at key stations in a typical internal system may be readily obtained.
Date: July 21, 1942
Creator: Becker, John V. & Baals, Donald D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The effect of mass distribution on the lateral stability and control characteristics of an airplane as determined by tests of a model in the free-flight tunnel (open access)

The effect of mass distribution on the lateral stability and control characteristics of an airplane as determined by tests of a model in the free-flight tunnel

The effects of mass distribution on lateral stability and control characteristics of an airplane have been determined by flight tests of a model in the NACA free-flight tunnel. In the investigation, the rolling and yawing moments of inertia were increased from normal values to values up to five times normal. For each moment-of-inertia condition, combinations of dihedral and vertical-tail area representing a variety of airplane configurations were tested. The results of the flight tests of the model were correlated with calculated stability and control characteristics and, in general, good agreement was obtained.
Date: July 20, 1943
Creator: Campbell, John P. & Seacord, Charles L., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Compressibility and Heating Effects on Pressure Loss and Cooling of a Baffled Cylinder Barrel (open access)

Compressibility and Heating Effects on Pressure Loss and Cooling of a Baffled Cylinder Barrel

"Theoretical investigations have shown that, because air is compressible, the pressure-drop requirements for cooling an air-cooled engine will be much greater at high altitudes and high speeds than at sea level and low speeds. Tests were conducted by the NACA to obtain some experimental confirmation of the effect of air compressibility on cooling and pressure loss of a baffled cylinder barrel and to evaluate various methods of analysis. The results reported in the present paper are regarded as preliminary to tests on single-cylinder and multicylinder engines. Tests were conducted over a wide range of air flows and density altitudes" (p. 1).
Date: July 1, 1944
Creator: Goldstein, Arthur W. & Ellerbrock, Herman H., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Compressibility and Heating Effects on Pressure Loss and Cooling of a Baffled Cylinder Barrel (open access)

Compressibility and Heating Effects on Pressure Loss and Cooling of a Baffled Cylinder Barrel

"Theoretical investigations have shown that, because air is compressible, the pressure-drop requirements for cooling an air-cooled engine will be much greater at high altitudes and high speeds than at sea level and low speeds. Tests were conducted by the NACA to obtain some experimental confirmation of the effect of air compressibility on cooling and pressure loss of a baffled cylinder barrel and to evaluate various methods of analysis. The results reported in the present paper are regarded as preliminary to tests on single-cylinder and multi-cylinder engines. Tests were conducted over a wide range of air flows and density altitudes" (p. 185).
Date: July 1, 1944
Creator: Goldstein, Arthur W. & Ellerbrock, Herman H., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library