Performance figures for Hawker Hurricane with laminar flow wing

We seem to have fallen over a copy of the original GA design sheet for the Armstrong Whitworth Hurricane wing, while gathering plans for our fabric ones. Indeed, it does appear similar in plan to the standard wing, the tips have a different profile and the root chord is slightly longer. The thickness is only marginally greater than that of the front spar. I’d love to see a photo too.

Here’s more on it: http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA800776&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf – looks like the flight test figures are in the national archives, but are not on line.

Thanks blan73, and welcome to the forum! I expect you have a lot more interesting stuff to share – don’t worry about detailed histories, I expect they’ll find an audience here.

So it would appear that there were at least two laminar flow / low drag winged Hurricanes. The one my plans refer to – with wings (plural) specially manufactured by Armstrongs – was flown in 1945, according a reference in the 1946 document I linked to earlier.

It looks like the modifications to the starboard wing blan73 describes were applied to a different aircraft, at a later date.

Sycamore’s photos show the PORT wing, and that wing being of considerably modified – indeed exotic – profile, as per the AW factory plans (dated 1944) that I hold. Coupled with the serial matching that of the two reports cited here, both of which refer to wings (plural) this would suggest that this is the earlier aircraft.

There’s a file, in Kew’s National Archive, which might be relevant; DSIR 23/15011 is headed “Hurricane II aircraft Z3687 fitted with special wings of low drag design: flight tests.”
Edgar

Laminar flow Hurricane

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Me too, I would be interested in hearing more about the Laminar Flow Hurricane

Like Roger says, welcome and would love to hear more.

Still very interested blan73 and would love to hear what you can tell us.

Welcome to the forum 🙂

Roger Smith.

‘Laminar flow’ Hurricane

I worked on the laminar flow Hurricane at Farnborough. Is anyone still interested, or has the subject withered on the vine?

If you go to the link in #9 by `bazv`, look under `coventry-baginton airport`….. u/c.

That was an interesting find, thanks for pointing those images out.

Great find, Sycamore!

What we’re looking at here – the odd bulging effect – is the original-shaped wing centre section mated in an ungainly way to to the new profile outers. The plan I have is of the ‘root’ of the outers. The bulge, when seen from that angle, is the thick forward part of the conventionally-shaped centre section, which then slopes down to the thinner forward part of the outers.

Looks like a modelling project might be bubbling under – I’d better warn the wife.

If you go to the link in #9 by `bazv`, look under `coventry-baginton airport`,and scroll almost to the end there are a couple of pictures of the Hurricane.It looks as if the Thin wing was outboard of the u/c.

Miles M52 aerodynamic testing !!

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/mus/uk/l-m/109_0940x.jpg

Starfighter aerodynamic test-bed?

Re the AW wing – I guess ‘low-drag’ was a relative concept..

Wing section still a little on the thick side innit 😀
They shoulda built it like this !!
scroll halfway down the page – Miles ‘Gillette’ Falcon,flown as part of M52 testing

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CA0QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wonwinglo.scale-models.net%2Fid33.htm&rct=j&q=miles+gillette+falcon&ei=eVPBS6OYF4iM0gTele2jCQ&usg=AFQjCNGQeRK4rbtkRhX4CdQFaBFRtH0X3Q

Here’s a couple of photos of a poor copy of the Armstrong Whitworth GA plans…..

Neat to finally see what the section on the Laminar Flow wing looked like. Thanks for posting.

Regards,

I’ve seen a photo of this Hurri in Keys Hurricane salute bookazine, has anyone got any more photos of it or illustrations of it in plan form? The photo in the book dosn’t show the shape of the wing.:confused:

Here’s a couple of photos of a poor copy of the Armstrong Whitworth GA plans, showing the aerofoil section (upside down – sorry) – the thickest point really is a long way back! Also the tip profile in plan and section – you can just about make out the faint lines marked ‘production hurricane’, which highlight the differences.

Haven’t got specific info to hand, but have some somewhere that I will try and dig out.
RPS is correct with the AW info, from memory of seeing the pics I don’t think the wings were that much different in plan from a standard Hurricane, the aerofoil shape, thickness/chord ratio, and cleanliness of the design and manufacture seemingly being the big issues.
Trials were also carried out on an RAE Kingcobra

Laminar-flow technology of wings is one of those great subjects to debate, as there are so many variations in the technology. Mustangs and Tempests had it as standard, yet trials aircraft had it to such a degree that it required special manufacturing and handling techniques, the trials Hurricane fitting into the upper end of laminar cleanliness (higher Reynolds number).

Here is a link to a Flight report if you’re interested in the light research of it, http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1951/1951%20-%200334.html

I’ve seen a photo of this Hurri in Keys Hurricane salute bookazine, has anyone got any more photos of it or illustrations of it in plan form? The photo in the book dosn’t show the shape of the wing.:confused:

The laminar flow wing fitted to a Hurricane was designed by Jimmy Lloyd of Armstrong Whitworth and built, converted and flown by AWA at Baginton (Rock Farm). Haven’t got any dates to hand but fairly sure this was during the war.

It was part of research into laminar flow for a projected post-war all-wing airliner that also included the AW.52G and AW.52 flying wings.

Roger Smith.