Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Diehl, Walter S.
A preliminary study of pitching-moment data on tapered wings indicated that excellent agreement with test data was obtained by locating the quarter-chord point of the average chord on the average quarter-chord point of the semispan. The study was therefore extended to include most of the available data on tapered-wing models tested by the NACA.
Basic lift data on planing surfaces have been analyzed and the data applied to the design of flying-boat hulls. It is shown that a balance between air and water forces requires that the beam of the planing area bear a relation to the wing area that is determined by the lift coefficient of the wing and by the angle of dead rise in the planing surface. It is also shown that the fore-and-aft extent of the required planing area depends on the angle of dead rise. Failure to provide sufficient length of planing area appears to be the main reason for the poor water performance sometimes obtained when a large angle of dead rise is used.
This note is concerned with the effect of power on landing speed and apparent maximum lift coefficient. It is shown that when secondary effects are neglected, the maximum available increase in lift due to power is equal to the thrust being developed. If the increase in lift due to power is expressed in coefficient form, very high values may be shown under conditions which, on analysis, are found to be wholly impracticable in flight.
It is shown that the normal resistance curve for a flying boat may be approximated by two straight lines. The equations for take-off distance and time, derived from this approximation, are applied to a series of flying boats and the resulting factors are plotted in non dimensional form in a series of charts. Take-off performances from the charts are shown to be in good agreement with step-by-step integrations. Some applications of the charts to the solution of general design problems are included.
Report presents the results of a survey of problems encountered in applying general test data to the design of flying-boat hulls. It is shown how basic design features may be readily determined from special plots of test data. A study of the effect of the size of a flying boat on the probable limits to be covered by the general test data is included and recommendations for special tests and new methods of presenting test data for direct use in design are given.
It is shown that the lift distribution for a biplane with unequal chords may be calculated by the method developed in NACA Technical report no. 458 if corrections are made for the inequality in chord lengths. The method is applied to four cases in which the upper chord was greater than the lower and good agreement is obtained between observed and calculated lift coefficients.
Static thrust data from more than 100 airplane propeller tests are collected from various sources and combined in working charts, from which the static thrust coefficient may be readily determined. The available data cover practically all types of propellers and are in good agreement.
A comparatively simple method of calculating length of take-off run is developed from the assumption of a linear variation in net accelerating force with air speed and it is shown that the error involved is negligible.
This reports presents a method of calculating time and gross load for take-off of seaplanes and flying boats.
Recent improvements in stress analysis methods have made it necessary to revise and to extend the loading curves to cover all conditions of flight. This report is concerned with a study of existing biplane data by combining the experimental and theoretical data to derive a series of curves from which the lift curves of the individual wings of a biplane may be obtained.
This report is concerned with the derivation of a chart for estimating the absolute ceiling of an airplane. This chart may be used in conjunction with the usual curves of power required and power available as an accurate substitute for extended calculation, or it may be used in the estimation of absolute ceiling when power curves are not available.
This report contains the derivation of a series of simple approximate equations for density ratios and for the pressure ratio in the standard atmosphere. The accuracy of the various equations is discussed and the limits of applications are given. Several of these equations are in excellent agreement with the standard values.
This report contains the wind-tunnel test data obtained in the United States on a 36 by 6 inch R.A.F. 15 airfoil model prepared by the British Aeronautical Research Committee for International Trials. Tests were made in cooperation with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at the Bureau of Standards, Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and McCook field. In addition to brief descriptions of the various wind tunnels and methods of testing, the report contains an analysis of the test data. It is shown that while in general the agreement is quite satisfactory there are two cases in which it is unsatisfactory. Since the lack of agreement in the latter is probably explained by errors known to be inherent in the methods of determining and applying corrections in these particular tests, it is concluded that the agreement obtained is more a matter of technique than a wind tunnel characteristic. (author)
This report is concerned with the problem of calculation of the horizontal tail area necessary to give a statically stable airplane. Two entirely different methods are developed, and reduced to simple formulas easily applied to any design combination. Detailed instructions are given for use of the formulas, and all calculations are illustrated by examples. The relative importance of the factors influencing stability is also shown. (author)
This report shows how the actual performance of an airplane varies with air temperature when the pressure is held constant. This leads to comparatively simple methods of reducing observed data to standard conditions. The new methods which may be considered exact for all practical purposes, have been used by the Navy Department for about a year, with very satisfactory results. The report also contains a brief historical review of the important papers which have been published on the subject of performance reduction, and traces the development of the standard atmosphere. (author)
This report develops new equations which give the range and endurance of airplanes with an accuracy equal to that obtained from a step-by-step integration of the flight. A method of obtaining equally satisfactory results from Brequet's equations is also given in detail. A third method of calculating range and endurance, derived by the writer for use in routine estimating in the Bureau of Aeronautics, is also given in full. The reports contains tables and curves arranged for convenient use and illustrates the three methods by comparative estimates.
This report is a compilation of test data on airplane fuselages, nacelles, airship cars, seaplane floats, and seaplane hulls, prepared by the Bureau of Aeronautics, at the requests of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The discussion of the data includes the derivation of a scale correction curve to be used in obtaining the full scale drag. Composite curves of drag and L/D for floats and hulls are also given. (author)
This report was prepared at the request of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in order to supply a systematic study of the relations between the flight velocity V and its horizontal component V subscript H, in power glides. Curves of V and V subscript H plotted against the inclination of the flight path 0 are given, together with curves which show the maximum values of V subscript H and the corresponding values of 0. Curves are also given showing the effect of small departures from the horizontal in high speed performance testing.