Description
The aerodynamic characteristics of a tail-first type half-model having an aspect ratio 2.12 delta wing were obtained in the N.A.E. 30-inch wind tunnel at a Mach number of 1.57 and a Reynolds number of 2.2 million, based on the wing mean aerodynamic chord.
The results were obtained for both a high-wing and a low-wing configuration at angles of attack from -6 degrees to +12 degrees. The tail setting was varied in 2-degree increments from -4 degrees to +10 degrees, also the tail-off configuration was tested. Separate tests were carried out on the body alone, with and without tail faring and on a similar N.A.C.A. fuselage, to determine the effect on drag of the tail fairing.
The results showed that for the centre of gravity location considered, the forward tail could balance the aircraft up to lift coefficients of about 0.7 for the low wing configuration and up to 0.4 for the high wing configuration. However, the static margin was such that the model would have been probably unstable subsonically. In general, the low wing configuration was more efficient than the high wing one.
The performance of the tail-first model was compared with that of similar delta wing models fitted with trailing-edge controls.
