The Calculation of Downwash Behind Supersonic Wings With an Application to Triangular Plan Forms

Abstract

A method is developed consistent with the assumptions of small perturbation theory, which provides a means of determining the downwash behind a wing in supersonic flow for a known load distribution. The analysis is based upon the use of supersonic doublets which are distributed over the plan form and wake of the wing in a manner determined from the wing loading. The first application of the method proves the equivalence in subsonic and supersonic flow of the downwash at infinity corresponding to a given load distribution. The principal application in this report is concerned with the downwash behind a triangular wing with leading edges swept back of the Mach cone from the vertex. A complete solution is given along the center line of the wake and an approximation provided for points in the vicinity of this line.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1948
Accession Number
ADA381476

Entities

People

  • Harvard Lomax
  • Max A. Heaslet

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aeronautical Laboratories
  • Airfoils
  • Boundary Value Problems
  • Cartesian Coordinates
  • Delta Wings
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Flow
  • Free Stream
  • Incompressible Flow
  • Leading Edges
  • Lifting Surfaces
  • Load Distribution
  • Mach Number
  • Partial Differential Equations
  • Supersonic Flow
  • Trailing Edges

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Approximation Theory.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flight