Aerodynamic Performance of Projectiles with Axisymmetric and Non-Axisymmetric Boattails

Abstract

Aerodynamic properties of projectile shapes with axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric boattail shapes are presented. The nonaxisymmetric boattail is formed by a number of flat surfaces. Three flat surfaces equally spaced would develop into a triangle at the base; all non-conical data in this report are for the three-surface, or triangular, boattail. Surface pressure measurements were obtained on the non-conical boattail and a comparison of these measurements to three dimensional flow field computations for the same shape are reported. Inviscid computations on several axisymmetric shapes are compared to experimental data obtained on non-axisymmetric boattail shapes so that an evaluation of the non-axisymmetric boattail performance could be made. The non- axisymmetric shapes can have significant stability advantages over axisymmetric shapes and still retain the advantage of drag reduction by boattailing.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA086091

Entities

People

  • Lyle D. Kayser
  • Walter B. Sturek

Organizations

  • Ballistic Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerodynamic Characteristics
  • Axisymmetric
  • Boundary Layer
  • Computations
  • Drag
  • Drag Reduction
  • Flow Fields
  • Geometry
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Projectiles
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Three Dimensional
  • Viscous Flow
  • Weapons
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics.
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster