Flight Tests at Supersonic Speeds to Determine the Effect of Taper on the Zero-Lift Drag of Sweptback Low-Aspect-Ratio Wings Page: 2 of 21
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NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITEE FOR AERONAUTICS I11IlIP1111111111l
0066371
TECHNICAL NOTE 3697
FLIGHT TESTS AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS TO DETERMINE THE
EFFECT OF TAPER ON THE ZERO-LIFT DRAG OF
SWEPTBACK LOW-ASPECT-RATIO WINGS
By Murray Pittell
SUMMARY
Rocket-powered models have been flown to provide an experimental
comparison with linearized theoretical calculations for zero-lift drag
of sweptback tapered wings having thin, symmetrical, double-wedge air-
foil sections. The range of the experimental data is from a Mach num-
ber M of 1.0 to 1.8, and theoretical comparisons are made for the test
range above M = 1.2.
The linearized theory compared very favorably with the experimental
results over most of the test range. For a given thickness and aspect
ratio, taper generally increased the wing drag at low supersonic speeds
but reduced the drag at higher speeds. For a given thickness and taper
ratio, the wings of aspect ratio 4 had less drag below M ; 1.2, but
greater drag above M - 1.2, than the wings of aspect ratio 2.
INTRODUCTION
Airfoil theory for supersonic wave drag of thin, symmetrical,
double-wedge sections (refs. 1 and 2) has indicated the effect of taper
and aspect ratio on wing drag. The purpose of the present investigation
was to provide experimental correlation for the theory of references 1
and 2.
The wing configurations had constant sweep of 500 of the 0.5 chord
line and taper ratios of 0, 1/3, and 2/3 for aspect ratios of 2 and 4.
The airfoils were constant 6-percent-thick double-wedge sections in
order that a valid comparison could be made with the theory.
1Supersedes recently declassified NACA Research Memorandum L5OF50a
by Murray Pittel, 1950.
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Pittel, Murray. Flight Tests at Supersonic Speeds to Determine the Effect of Taper on the Zero-Lift Drag of Sweptback Low-Aspect-Ratio Wings, report, June 1956; (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc55964/m1/2/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.