NACA-RM-A8E21

Abstract

INTRODUCTION <br>Wings of triangular plan form, combining the structural advantages of low aspect ratio and high taper ratio with the aerodynamic benefits of a highly swept leading edge, have been shown to be suitable for flight at moderate supersonic speeds. As a part of systematic research on supersonic airplane configurations at the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, tests are being conducted to evaluate the relative merits of flaps of various plan forms for use as longitudinal controls on triangular wings. <br>The data presented in reference 1 show adverse compressibility affects on the hinge-moment characteristics of a constant-chord flap having an unswept hinge line. The present series of tests was conducted in the Ames 12-foot pressure wind tunnel to determine if sweeping of the control-surface hinge line would alleviate these compressibility effects. A wing-tip flap with the hinge line swept 63.430 was tested on a semi span model of a triangular wing of aspect ratio 2. Flap effectiveness and hinge moments were measured at Mach numbers up to 0.95.