Stability Enhancement of Bomb Configurations.
Abstract
The static longitudinal stability of fin-stabilized bomb configurations was examined in wind tunnel tests with a view to improving the performance of the stabilizing tail of a specific canister design. The study has indicated that an important factor in achieving maximum lift from a radial-fin tail of fixed span is the avoidance of flow separation at the fin roots. At transonic Mach numbers, traditional tail designs consisting of radial fins mounted on a boattail are prone to flow separation at the fin roots for practical tailcone angles. Lift efficiency of the tail unit is then imparied, resulting in reduced longitudinal stability for the complete configuration. Oil flow studies showed that a successful means of alleviating fin-root separation on boattailed shapes was the use of a cylindrical or flared afterbody between the fins. Two tail units using these devices to achieve maximum efficiency were designed and tested in the transonic Mach number range. The performance of these tails was highly satisfactory in that canister stability requirements were closely approached without recourse to excessive fin span. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA051724
Entities
People
- M. L. Robinson