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Lockheed-Georgia Low Speed
Wind Tunnel — Some Implication
to Automotive Aerodynamics
J. B. Cummings
Lockheed-Georgia Co.
AUTOMOBILE STYLING during the life of the industry has
changed from year to year in producing today’s fast looking
vehicles. These changes have been primarily based on the
changing esthetic trend. It is safe to say that very little
of the external lines work is based on optimization of per
formance or stability characteristics of the end product. The
appearance of automobiles is modern, and styling is more
advanced than automotive aeronautic engineering. In the Fig. 1 - United States Airforce C-141
development of the configuration of an automobile, there
is concern about space for passengers, their visibility and
comfort, the mechanical ease of handling the car, the soft to examine, for the sake of crew safety, aircraft aerodynamic
ness of ride, and of course safety; but is there concern about stability, and also to provide a means of improving the ve
the actual horsepower required to propel the car at a mini hicle performance. Additionally, some of the aircraft de
mum cost or making the car stable in crosswinds: particularly signed and built during the last decade or two have been
a crosswind in hilly areas where the car continually is buf styled to some extent. Most of the effort has only affected
feted going alternately through protected and open areas. the forward fuselage area; Figs. 1-3 show some of these air
These conditions at today’s speeds on the open roads pre craft.
sent unpleasant control problems. A method of improving Fig. 4 shows a cutaway view of the C-5A showing one of
these stability conditions is by aerodynamic investigation the proposed internal arrangements. This particular arrange
under controlled conditions, that is, by wind tunnel testing. ment can transport approximately 62 standard automobiles,
or up to 85 compacts. This airplane has been tested in the
BACKGROUND Lockheed"-Georgia wind tunnel.
Automobiles have a considerable amount of stability, WIND TUNNEL DESCRIPTION
since the wheels are in contact with a solid surface. Air
craft are, of course, free of this type of influence, and early There was a need in the industry for a wind tunnel that
in their development wind tunnel testing became necessary was capable of testing larger, low speed models to help in-
ABSTRACT-------------------------------------------------------------
out system capability, balance system limits, and instru
A brief description of the Lockheed-Georgia Co.’s low mentation hookup capability and versatility. Accessory
speed wind tunnel includes discussions of facility charac equipment is also described as it can support wind tunnel
teristics, such as the test section sizes, speed ranges, read testing of automotive vehicles.
