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Brown, Clinton E

Publications and source records attributed to Brown, Clinton E.

Investigation of Minimum Drag and Maximum Lift-drag Ratios of Several Wing-body Combinations Including a Cambered Triangular Wing at Low Reynolds Numbers and at Supersonic Speeds

Theoretical and experimental data for wing-body combinations with wings of triangular, arrow, and diamond plan form are presented for Mach numbers of 1.62, 1.93, and 2.41 and a Reynolds number range of 1.4 x 10 to the 6th power to 0.7 x 10 to the 6th power. Included are two each of triangular and arrow plan-form wings cambered for approximately uniform load at m = 1.62 and lift coefficients of 0.08 and 0.20. Liquid-film studies of the flow over the various configurations are also presented.

Brown, Clinton E↗

The reversibility theorem for thin airfoils in subsonic and supersonic flow

A method introduced by Munk is extended to prove that the light-curve slope of thin wings in either subsonic flow or supersonic flow is the same when the direction of flight of the wing is reversed. It is also shown that the wing reversal does not change the thickness drag, damping-in-roll parameter or the damping-in-pitch parameter.

Brown, Clinton E↗

Damping in Pitch and Roll of Triangular Wings at Supersonic Speeds

The expressions for the damping derivatives in pitch and roll of triangular wings are derived by means of the linearized theory. In the method used, the wing is represented by an unknown distribution of doublets. An integral equation containing the unknown distribution is set up and solved by analogy with known incompressible flow relations. It is pointed out that the results may be used to obtain damping coefficients of a limited series of sweptback wings, the most interesting of which are the so-called "arrow wings."

EQUATIONS - MOTION↗

Damping in Pitch and Roll of Triangular Wings at Supersonic Speeds

A method is derived for calculating the damping coefficients in pitch and roll for a series of triangular wings and a restricted series of sweptback wings at supersonic speeds. The elementary "supersonic source" solution of the linearized equation of motion is used to find the potential function of a line of doublets, and the flows are obtained by surface distributions of these doublet lines. The damping derivatives for triangular wings are found to be a function of the ratio of the tangent of the apex angle to the tangent of the Mach angle. As this ratio becomes equal to and greater than 1.0 for triangular wings, the damping derivatives, in pitch and in roll, become constant. The damping derivative in roll becomes equal to one-half the value calculated for an infinite rectangular wing, and the damping derivative in pitch for pitching about the apex becomes equal to 3.375 times that of an infinite rectangular wing.

Brown, Clinton E↗

Theoretical lift and drag of thin triangular wings at supersonic speeds

A method is derived for calculating the lift and the drag due to lift of point-forward triangular wings and a restricted series of sweptback wings at supersonic speeds. The elementary or "supersonic sources" solution of the linearized equation of motion is used to find the potential function of a line of doublets. The flow about the triangular flat plate is then obtained by a surface distribution of these doublet lines. The lift-curve slope of triangular wings is found to be a function of the ratio of the tangent of the apex angle to the tangent of the Mach angle. As the apex angle approaches and becomes greater than the Mach angle, the lift coefficient of the triangular wing becomes equal to that of a two-dimensional supersonic airfoil at the same Mach number. The drag coefficient due to lift of triangular wings with leading edges well behind the Mach cone is shown to be close to that of elliptically loaded wings of the same aspect ratio in subsonic flight. The resultant force on wings with leading edges outside the Mach cone, however, is shown to act normal to the surfaces and thus an induced drag equal to the lift times the angle of attack is obtained.

Brown, Clinton E↗

A method for the calculation of external lift, moment, and pressure drag of slender open-nose bodies of revolution at supersonic speeds

An approximate method is presented for the calculation of the external lift, moment, and pressure drag of slender open-nose bodies of revolution of supersonic speeds. The lift, moment, and pressure drag of a typical ram-jet body shape are calculated at Mach numbers 1.45, 1.60, 1.75, and 3.00; and the lift and moment results are compared with available experimental data. The agreement of the calculated lift and moment data with the experimental data is excellent. The pressure-drag comparison was not presented because of the uncertainty of the amount of skin-friction drag present in the experimental results.

Brown, Clinton E↗

NACA investigation of a jet-propulsion system applicable to flight

Following a brief history of the NACA investigation of jet propulsion, a discussion is given of the general investigation and analysis leading to the construction of the jet-propulsion ground-test mock-up. The results of burning experiments and of test measurements designed to allow quantitative flight performance predictions of the system are presented and correlated with calculations. These calculations are then used to determine the performance of the system on the ground and in the air at various speeds and altitudes under various burning conditions. The application of the system to an experimental airplane is described and some performance predictions for this airplane are made.

Ellis, Macon C , Jr↗