Langley Research Center Wind Tunnel Tests (Updated) ...

[Mark Allen M]

Langley Research Center December 11, 1941 - January 26, 1942. Interesting dates this testing took place. Wonder what the mood and urgency was.
Source, nasa.gov historic archives.


Lockheed YP-38 Lightening full scale tunnel testing airplane.


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941

[img]http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/images/Mark_Allen_M3/P-38boomsnoPrestonescoopsJanuary191942_zps0ffff704.jpg" alt="Image">


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941


P-38 with 66-115 wing and new; December 24, 1941


P-38; armament installation; January 26, 1942


YP-38 shroud installation; January 19, 1942


P-38; armament installation; January 26, 1942


P-38 original condition; December 11, 1941

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Tue Feb 04, 2014 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[raconnel]

Thanks for some great shots! Very interesting that they were testing a YP-38 when there were already production models in service.

Richard

[PropsRule]

Did any of the Axis nations have a wind tunnel like Langley's?

It is interesting to imagine what the mood and sense of urgency must have been like.

[Mark Allen M]

Certainly similar

[PropsRule]

Great answer, Mark. Thanks!

I noticed they left the propeller blades on the '109. On the P-38 the propeller blade openings are faired over. So which test returned the most accurate data? Hmmmm...

[Mark Allen M]

Posting for no other reason than their cool IMHO ...


P-47B Horizontal and Vertical Tail Pressure Distribution; P-47B yaw-setup; July 27, 1942


P-47B Horizontal and Vertical Tail Pressure Distribution; P-47B yaw-setup; July 27, 1942


P-40 Unsymmetrical Tail Load Investigation April 1943


P-40 Unsymmetrical Tail Load Investigation April 1943


P-40 Tests; April 25, 1939


P-40 Tests; April 25, 1939


P-40 Tests; April 25, 1939


P-40 Tests; April 25, 1939

[Mark Allen M]

P-47B Horizontal and Vertical Tail Pressure Distribution; P-47B yaw-setup; July 27, 1942


North American P-51B Drag; September 23, 1943


North American P-51B Drag; September 23, 1943


North American P-51B Drag; September 23, 1943


P-40 Unsymmetrical Tail Load Investigation April 1943


Grumman XTBF-1; ship in full scale tunnel; June 10, 1942


Grumman XTBF-1; ship in full scale tunnel; June 10, 1942


XF8F-1 Drag Clean-up; F8F in tunnel; January 3, 1945


XF8F-1 Drag Clean-up; F8F in tunnel; January 3, 1945


XF8F-1 Drag Clean-up; F8F in tunnel; January 3, 1945


P-39 Tests (Bell); August 9, 1939


P-39 Tests (Bell); August 9, 1939


Bell P-63 Cooling, Drag; August 24, 1943


Bell P-63 Cooling, Drag; August 24, 1943


Bell P-63 Cooling, Drag; August 24, 1943

[The Inspector]

Mark, Thanx for the picture with the notations on all the little holes, slots, scoops, and whaddevas on the P-38. I'm wondering why, in early 1943 they were doing drag tests on a P-40K unless Don Berlin was doing some preliminary stuff for the N-

[Robbie Stuart]

You never cease to amaze me with your your post's.
I know what time it takes just to put together a simple example of photos.
You have really put a lot of time & effort in these most excellent presentations that you have shared with us!
Thanks Buddy!
Robbie

[Mark Allen M]

Your mucho welcome Robbie my friend ... I like to think of my threads as just fillers in between the good threads the rest of ya's post. Kind of like previews before the real movie starts.

It sure beats what I used to do for kicks.

[Scott Rose]

The images have been restored to this thread.

[GregP]

Thanks, Scott! ... and thanks Mark originally.