Lifting Body Configurations for Sustained Hypersonic Flight

Abstract

This paper deals with the calculation of hypersonic conic flow about a configuration of the ‘wing-body’ type.

Solution of a boundary problem by ‘two-approximations’ method is shown for the case of flow about a yawed triangular plate. Then flow about a wing of finite thickness is considered. It is proved that in the latter case the flow structure is qualitatively different from the case of flow about a triangular plate.

The last part of the paper deals with hypersonic flow about a conic body having an inverted V-shaped cross section.

In case of large V-angles, when a system of curvilinear Mach type shocks is formed, the aforementioned ‘two approximations’ permits the construction of a closed solution. For arbitrary geometrical wing parameters a scheme of numerical calculation with artificial viscosity is used. The possibility of deriving a solution with a strong bow shock is discussed. Aerodynamic wing characteristics are calculated under the assumption that maximum lift-to-drag ratio is attained at V-angle less than 180°.

Results of experimental investigation of four models of V-shaped wings at Mach number 6 are reported. Forces are measured on an aerodynamic balance and the maximum value of lift-to-drag ratio is obtained.