NASA-TR-R-474

Abstract

An engineering-type method is presented for computing normal-force and pitching-moment coefficients for slender bodies of circular and noncircular cross section alone and with lifting surfaces. In this method, a semi-empirical term representing viscous-separation crossflow is added to a term representing potential-theory crossflow. For many bodies of revolution, computed aerodynamic characteristics are shown to agree with measured results for investigated free-stream Mach numbers from 0.6 to 2.9. The angles of attack extend from 0 deg to 180 deg for M = 2.9 from 0 deg to 60 deg for M = 0.6 to 2.0. For several bodies of elliptic cross section, measured results are also predicted reasonably well over the investigated Mach number range from 0.6 to 2.0 and at angles of attack from 0 deg to 60 deg. As for the bodies of revolution, the predictions are best for supersonic Mach numbers. For body-wing and body-wing-tail configurations with wings of aspect ratios 3 and 4, measured normal-force coefficients and centers are predicted reasonably well at the upper test Mach number of 2.0. Vapor-screen and oil-flow pictures are shown for many body, body-wing and body-wing-tail configurations. When spearation and vortex patterns are asymmetric, undesirable side forces are measured for the models even at zero sideslip angle. Generally, the side-force coefficients decrease or vanish with the following: increase in Mach number, decrease in nose fineness ratio, change from sharp to blunt nose, and flattening of body cross section (particularly the body nose).