SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
In reality, the principle of similitude is not applicable to the hulls, the designing of which increases in difficulty with increasing size of the seaplanes. In order to formulate, at least in a general way, the basic principles of calculation, we must first summarize the essential characteristics of a hull with reference to its gradual enlargement. In this study, we will disregard hulls with wing stubs, as being inapplicable to large seaplanes.
Hulls inflict minimal substrate damage. Walnut hulls found to be best abrasive for cleaning aluminum surfaces prior to painting. Samples blasted with walnut hulls showed no compressive stress of surface.
The extension of wind tunnel tests of models of airship hulls to full scale requires an extension from a VL of the order of less than 500 sq.ft./sec., to that of 80000 sq.ft./sec., where V = air speed, feet per second, L = length in feel of the particular form of hull. The reason for this research was to furnish the airship designer with a method for finding the VL curve of any conventional type of hull, using data obtained from actual performance of airships flown prior to 1926.
A model of a 2-step flying-boat hull, of the type generally used in England, was tested according to the complete method described in the N.A.C.A. Technical Note No. 464. The lines of this model were taken from offsets given by Mr. William Munro in Flight, May 29, 1931. The data cover the range of loads, speeds, and trim angles that may be of use in applying the hull form to the design of any seaplane. The results are reduced to nondimensional form to aid application to design problems and facilitate comparison with the performance of other hulls. The water characteristics of Model 16 are compared with those of Model 11-A, which is representative of current American practice. The results show that when the two forms are applied to a given seaplane design under optimum conditions for each, the performance of Model 16 will be somewhat inferior to that of Model 11-A.
This note presents the results of complete tank test of N.A.C.A. Models 22-A and 35, two flying-boat hulls of the deep pointed-step type with low dead rise. Model 22-A is a form derived by modification of Model 22, the test results of which are given in N.A.C.A. Technical Note No. 488. Model 35 is a form of the same type but has a higher length-beam ratio than either Model 22 or 22-A. Take-off examples are worked out using data from these tests and a previous test of a conventional model applied to an arbitrary set of design specifications for a 15,000-pound flying boat. The comparison of these examples shows both pointed-step models to be superior to the conventional form, and Model 35 to be the better of the two. Model 35 is applied to a hypothetical 100,000-pound flying boat of the twin-hull type and performance calculations are made both for take-off and range. The results indicate that the high performance of this type of hull will enable the designer to use higher wing and power loadings than are found in current practice, with a resulting increase in range and pay load.
A general test was made in the N.A.C.A. tank of a 1/12-size model of the hull of the British Singapore IIC flying boat loaned by the Director of Research, British Air Ministry. The results are given in charts and are compared with the results of tests of a model of an American flying-boat hull, the Sikorsky S-40. The Singapore hull has a greater hump resistance but a much lower high-speed resistance than the S-40.
The results of tests made in the N.A.C.A. tank on two models of flying-boat hulls to determine the effect of ventilating the step are given graphically. The step of N.A.C.A. model 11-C was ventilated in several different ways and it was found that the resistance of the normal form is not appreciably affected by artificial ventilation in any of the forms tried. Further tests made with the depth of the step of model 11-C reduced likewise show no appreciable effect on the resistance from ventilation of the step. Tests were made on a model of the hull of the Navy P3M-1 flying-boat hull both with and without ventilation of the step. It was found that the discontinuity which is obtained in the resistance curves of this model is eliminated by ventilating the step.
The results of a complete tank test of a model of a flying-boat hull of unconventional form, having a deep pointed step, are presented in this note. The advantage of the pointed-step type over the usual forms of flying-boat hulls with respect to resistance at high speeds is pointed out. A take-off example using the data from these tests is worked out, and the results are compared with those of an example in which the test data for a hull of the type in general use in the United States are applied to a flying boat having the same design specifications. A definite saving in take-off run is shown by the pointed-step type.
The NACA model 40 series of flying-boat hull models consists of 2 forebodies and 3 afterbodies combined to provide several forms suitable for use in small marine aircraft. One forebody is the usual form with hollow bow sections and the other has a bottom surface that is completely developable from bow to step. The afterbodies include a short pointed afterbody with an extension for the tail surfaces, a long afterbody similar to that of a seaplane float but long enough to carry the tail surfaces, and a third obtained by fitting a second step in the latter afterbody. The various combinations were tested in the NACA Tank by the general method over a suitable range of loadings. Fixed-trim tests were made for all speeds likely to be used and free-to-trim tests were made at low speeds to slightly beyond the hump speed. The characteristics of the hulls at best trim angles have been deduced from the data of the tests at fixed trim angles and are given in the form of nondimensional coefficients applicable to any size hull.
A bus system that can change dynamically to suit computational needs is referred to as reconfigurable. We present a fast adaptive convex hull algorithm on a two-dimensional processor array with a reconfigurable bus system (2-D PARBS, for short). Specifically, we show that computing the convex hull of a planar set of n points taken O(log n/log m) time on a 2-D PARBS of size mn x n with 3 less than or equal to m less than or equal to n. Our result implies that the convex hull of n points in the plane can be computed in O(1) time in a 2-D PARBS of size n(exp 1.5) x n.
An investigation was made in the Langley 300-mph 7- by 10-foot tunnel to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of a refined deep-step planing-tail hull with various forebody and afterbody shapes and, for comparison, a streamline body simulating the fuselage of a modern transport airplane. The results of the tests indicated that the configurations incorporating a forebody with a length-beam ratio of 7 had lower minimum drag coefficients than the configurations incorporating a forebody with length-beam ratio of 5. The lowest minimum drag coefficients, which were considerably less than that of a conventional hull and slightly less than that of a streamline body, were obtained on the length-beam-ratio-7 forebody, alone and with round center boom. Drag coefficients and longitudinal- and lateral-stability parameters presented include the interference of a 21-percent-thick support wing.
A 1/5-scale model of a flying-boat hull having flutes in the bottom both forward and aft of the step (NACA model 19) was tested to determine its water performance. The model was also tested after the successive removal of the flutes on the afterbody and forebody. The results from these tests are compared with those from tests of a model of the hull of the Navy PN-8 flying boat and it is concluded that the fluted-bottom model and its modifications are inferior to the model of the PN-8.
NACA model 11-C was tested according to the general method with the angle of afterbody keel set at five different angles from 2-1/2 degrees to 9 degrees, but without changing other features of the hull. The results of the tests are expressed in curves of test data and of non-dimensional coefficients. At the depth of step used in the tests, 3.3 percent beam, the smaller angles of afterbody keel give greater load-resistance ratios at the hump speed and smaller at high speed than the larger angles of afterbody keel. Comparisons are made of the load-resistance ratios at several other points in the speed range. The effect of variation of the angle of afterbody keel upon the take-off performance of a hypothetical flying boat of 15,000 pounds gross weight having a hull of model 11-C lines is calculated, and the calculations show that the craft with the largest of the angles of afterbody keel tested, 9 degrees, takes off in the least time and distance.
This note presents the results of a series of tests made in the N.A.C.A. tank on a one-sixth full-size model of the hull and side floats of the Navy P3M-1 flying boat for the purpose of finding a method of reducing the amount of spray thrown into the propellers of this craft when taking off and landing. The model was tested without spray strips and with five different spray-strip arrangements. The best arrangement was an improvement over the bare hull with no spray strips, but the improvement was not sufficient to be satisfactory with the propellers in the designed position.
The present tests illustrate how the aerodynamic drag of a flying boat hull may be reduced by following closely the form of a low drag aerodynamic body and the manner in which the extent of the aerodynamic refinement is limited by poorer hydrodynamic performance. This limit is not sharply defined but is first evidenced by an abnormal flow of water over certain parts of the form accompanied by a sharp increase in resistance. In the case of models 74-A and 75, the resistance (sticking) occurs only at certain combinations of speed, load, and trim and can be avoided by proper control of the trim at high water speeds. Model 75 has higher water resistance at very high speeds than does model 74-A. With constant speed propellers and high takeoff speeds, it appears that the form of model 75 would give slightly better takeoff performance. Model 74-A, however, has lower aerodynamic drag than does model 75 for the same volume of hull.
This report presents towing tests made in the N.A.C.A. tank of a parent form and five variations of a flying-boat hull. The beams of two of the derived forms were made the same as that of the parent and the lengths changed by increasing and decreasing the spacing of stations. The lengths of the two others of the derived forms were made the same as that of the parent while the beams were changed by increasing and decreasing the spacing of buttocks, all other widths being changed in proportion. The remaining derived form has the same length and beam as the parent, but the lines of the forebody were altered to give a planing bottom with no longitudinal curvature forward of the step. The test data were analyzed to determine the minimum resistance and the angle at which it occurs for all speeds and loads. The results of this analysis are given in the form of non dimensional curves for each model. The effect of variation in over-all size, as indicated by a "complete" test on any given hull, is pointed out. The effect of changing length alone by the spacing of buttocks, as well as the effects of the changes in length-beam ratio and longitudinal curvature that result from these operations are discussed. The difficulties encountered in interpreting test results of systematic families derived by the method used are emphasized. Further studies are suggested in which changes in the variable under consideration would not be obscured by secondary changes in other important variables.
Presented here are the summary charts of the collapsed results of general tank tests of about 100 flying boat hull models. These summary charts are intended to be used as an engineering tool to enable a flying boat designer to grasp more quickly the significance of various hull form parameters as they influence his particular airplane. The form in which the charts are prepared is discussed in some detail in order to make them clearer to the designer. This is a data report, and no attempt has been made to produce conclusions or correlations of the usual sort. However, some generalizations are put forward on the various methods in which summary charts may be used.
Tests were conducted in Langley Tank no. 2 on models of an unconventional flying-boat hull called a planing-tail hull to determine the effects on resistance of varying a number of afterbody parameters. The effects of varying length, width, and plan-form taper of the afterbody are presented. Tests were made with afterbodies of two widths, two lengths, and two tapers. In the tests the depth of step and the angle of afterbody keel were held constant.(author)