FACTORS EFFECTING THE DESIGN OF A SYSTEM FOR TOWING A BODY ON A LONG LENGTH OF WIRE
Abstract
A method of calculating the diameter of wire to be used and the drag area of target to be towed in order to meet a given requirement of maximum speed of towing and maximum length of tow is presented. Particular reference is made to a towed target system of the Del Mar Company of Los Angeles U.S.A. and further analysis is made of U.S. Air Force test data on this system. The test data, despite not having been obtained in a fully controlled scientific experiment, is the best so far known for evaluating the skin drag coefficients of piano wire and predicts a variation both with air speed and with wire diameter. Analysis predicts that there is a region at high subsonic airspeed and at medium altitudes where the towed system can become unstable.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0296137
Entities
People
- G. W. Stevens
Organizations
- Royal Aircraft Establishment