Radical Wings & Wind Tunnels [9781580071161]
Date Added: Tuesday 23. December, 2008
The book provides a behind-the-scenes view of how NACA and later NASA have used wind tunnels to advance its knowledge of aeronautical sciences. The book is primarily concerned with the massive full-size wind tunnel at the Langley Research Center located in Hampton, Virginia. The book covers testing performed on a large number of mostly lesser-known aircraft and point out how they have advanced aeronautical knowledge. The authors have a great background in testing and NASA programs. Joe Chambers worked as an engineer and later division chief at Langley for 36 years and Mark has scoured the records to bring some of the best photos to include in the book.
In 1915, the US Congress formed the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, NACA. It was chartered to "supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight with a view to their practical solution". The NACA immediately started working to establish testing facilities. Initially, a number of smaller wind tunnels were utilized and then in 1931 the Langley Full Scale tunnel was opened. With a thirty foot by sixty feet test section, it could be used to test many full size aircraft. The authors state that this tunnel, along with the Langley twenty-foot Vertical Spin tunnel and the Langley Free Flight tunnel have been the most productive in testing and evaluating new and radical aircraft configurations. This book covers some of this testing.
An early example of this testing was on the McDonnell Doodlebug, an entrant in the 1929 Guggenheim International Safe Aircraft Competition. Langley engineers developed a design for some broad fairings to cover the wing/fuselage joint to solve tail buffeting. Modelers will recognize these fairings on most fighters of World War II. The Langley engineers also developed cowling designs for radial engines that significantly reduced drag. The book covers such radical designs as the "Flying Pancake" and some tail-first, tailless and flying wing designs.
After World War II, Langley engineers were at the forefront of investigations based on captured German technology related to swept and delta wings. Langley engineers and the Langley wind tunnels were also deeply involved in the analysis of various VTO concepts. Other areas of study were lifting bodies and supersonic transports.
An interesting sidelight of the book is the extent to which certain Langley engineers developed their concepts and worked to push them through the bureaucracy. Examples of this were Charles Zimmerman with his low aspect wings, Francis Regallo and his parawing concept and Richard Whitcomb and his Area Rule. These people add an additional dimension to the book.
When I entered Tri-State College, now Trine University, one of the most impressive features of the campus was their wind tunnel as a part of the Aero Engineering labs. I spent many interesting hours working with this three foot by four-foot tunnel. This was the reason that I volunteered to review this book. What I thought would be interesting turned out to be absolutely enthralling. Instead of a quick skim to write a review, I found myself reading the book from cover to cover. In addition, since starting this book, I have noticed many scenes from the Langley wind tunnels are included in various TV and DVD documentaries on different airplanes.
This book is well recommended to all that are interested in unique aircraft as well as the science of aeronautics and how it has evolved over the years up to current. A big thanks to Specialty Press for donating this great book for review and IPMS/USA for letting me review it.
Clare Wentzel, IPMS# 1096
IPMS USA
In 1915, the US Congress formed the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, NACA. It was chartered to "supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight with a view to their practical solution". The NACA immediately started working to establish testing facilities. Initially, a number of smaller wind tunnels were utilized and then in 1931 the Langley Full Scale tunnel was opened. With a thirty foot by sixty feet test section, it could be used to test many full size aircraft. The authors state that this tunnel, along with the Langley twenty-foot Vertical Spin tunnel and the Langley Free Flight tunnel have been the most productive in testing and evaluating new and radical aircraft configurations. This book covers some of this testing.
An early example of this testing was on the McDonnell Doodlebug, an entrant in the 1929 Guggenheim International Safe Aircraft Competition. Langley engineers developed a design for some broad fairings to cover the wing/fuselage joint to solve tail buffeting. Modelers will recognize these fairings on most fighters of World War II. The Langley engineers also developed cowling designs for radial engines that significantly reduced drag. The book covers such radical designs as the "Flying Pancake" and some tail-first, tailless and flying wing designs.
After World War II, Langley engineers were at the forefront of investigations based on captured German technology related to swept and delta wings. Langley engineers and the Langley wind tunnels were also deeply involved in the analysis of various VTO concepts. Other areas of study were lifting bodies and supersonic transports.
An interesting sidelight of the book is the extent to which certain Langley engineers developed their concepts and worked to push them through the bureaucracy. Examples of this were Charles Zimmerman with his low aspect wings, Francis Regallo and his parawing concept and Richard Whitcomb and his Area Rule. These people add an additional dimension to the book.
When I entered Tri-State College, now Trine University, one of the most impressive features of the campus was their wind tunnel as a part of the Aero Engineering labs. I spent many interesting hours working with this three foot by four-foot tunnel. This was the reason that I volunteered to review this book. What I thought would be interesting turned out to be absolutely enthralling. Instead of a quick skim to write a review, I found myself reading the book from cover to cover. In addition, since starting this book, I have noticed many scenes from the Langley wind tunnels are included in various TV and DVD documentaries on different airplanes.
This book is well recommended to all that are interested in unique aircraft as well as the science of aeronautics and how it has evolved over the years up to current. A big thanks to Specialty Press for donating this great book for review and IPMS/USA for letting me review it.
Clare Wentzel, IPMS# 1096
IPMS USA
Rating: 
[5 of 5 Stars!]
[5 of 5 Stars!]
