Wind Tunnel Test Models

wind tunnel models

impressive stuff im pleased so many wind tunnel models have survived they are most interesting to look at as are their histories , im grateful for the information and anymore which may exsist,is there a museum/collection in the states ?

Well thanks entirely to Seaking93’s post#8 I managed to nip down and see the FAAM reserve collection on thurs.
There are some windtunnel models in there but stacked away on the shelves unfortunately, saw a lovely maghogany Gannet AEW WT model.
I nipped over to the main museum and took a pic of the Fairey Delta 2 WT model, which is a beautiful wood and brass creation. I seem to remember that it had an undercarriage at one time, so I’m guessing it was a low speed model. There are some other Concorde related models displayed aswel

erm…lancaster??? :diablo: 😀

This is an Avro wind tunnel model as displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the damn thing was huge and was told it tipped the scales at over a ton, no prizes for guessing what it is a model of!!……

John.

In our current “green” World, I wonder how many trees that consumed :diablo:

Roger Smith.

This is an Avro wind tunnel model as displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the damn thing was huge and was told it tipped the scales at over a ton, no prizes for guessing what it is a model of!!……

John.

I’m pretty sure that there is a collection of wind tunnel models in the Science Museum in London – maybe some at Wroughton too?

TT

Yes, I’ll concede that this model is made from more than one piece but the wings and upper fuselage (not the spine / fin) certainly do seem to be machined from solid.

It is possible to get ‘such large billets’ (this model is probably only 600mm-800mm wingspan) although machining would be difficult. The model is probably also machined inside to simulate the airflow through the engine (which could be one explanation for the upper / lower fuselage bolts).

And as you say the control surfaces must move (and the drop-tanks detach).

Definitely not one piece!

It is very easy to see that it is made of several pieces-see the joining bolts.
Also – you cannot really get such a large billet, and machining it would be a nightmare, and in many areas – impossible.
And – you don’t really want to!
You want all the flying surfaces to be easily replaceable, so you can test many configurations.
A subsonic model will probably be made of aluminium, a supersonic one – from steel.
In any case they are indeed beautiful artifacts because they have to be very accurate and very smooth

Wind-Tunnel models (as opposed to Radar-Calibration models) need to be incredibly strong, especially if the aircraft is designed for high-speed. This is due to the scaling effect on speed with small models.

Notice that this (Gnat?) model is machined from a single billet of metal (probably steel)!

cosford have a display of them in the experimental hangar…

I photographed these at the Zadorozhny Technical Museum, Moscow, in September…..

This is a wind-tunnel model of the proposed Yak-44 shipborne AWACS aircraft…

….and the Yak-141 VSTOL fighter….

This is a model of a Su-27 Flanker – taken at Cosford. It was apparently used by RACAL in radar reflectivity trials……

Ken

IIRC a lot of Handley Page windtunnel models ended up with YAM at Elvington, can anyone confirm this?

Cheers

Cees

MP the Seaking isn’t a windtunnel model, the Tornado behind is!
Re Helicopters and birdstrikes, you might be surprised how often it happens and how serious the consequences sometimes are.

I’m fascinated by windtunnel models, they are both a work of technical design excellence and art in my opinion. The detail and construction method of the models is really worth studying and is more complex than one realises at first.
The best collection I ever saw was the one that used to be at Farnborough in the 1918 RAF (Trenchard?) buildings, not sure if they have now moved to the main FAST colection now, but they had alsorts of weird and wonderful things.
Agree with Seaking93, the 221 model at Yeovilton is easil accessable and worth a look.

They are probably the only aircraft other than the A-10 Warthog that suffer bird-strikes from behind!
Pete

Well, you can add the Airbus A340-200/300 to that list. You should listen to the HF over the Atlantic to get all the prove you need:D

FAAM at Yeovilton have a large model of the BAC221 under the actual aircraft and also a display case of Concorde related models, over at Cobham Hall(open tomorrow 23rd Oct) there are several more naval aircraft wind tunnel models held in store.

I think Newark have quite a few on display around the full size aircraft.

I believe that most of the models at Newark are radar profiling models that were used by national research establishments to evaluate the effectiveness of ground based radar systems, like the Bloodhound Radar Wagons also displayed at Newark. These models are made of metal and some even had the capability to have mini engines fitted; if you look closely some have ‘stealth modifications’.

I’m not sure which establishment they came from but I believe that some of the ‘Russian’ models have been painted up and are displayed in part of the Cold War building at Cosford.

It had never struck me that you needed to wind tunnel test a helicopter.
They are probably the only aircraft other than the A-10 Warthog that suffer bird-strikes from behind!

Pete

Some at Farnborough FAST museum too.

cosford have a display of them in the experimental hangar, i have a pic of some somewhere

edit

I think Newark have quite a few on display around the full size aircraft.

i remember going to work experience with airbus at filton, they seemed to have a quite a few old models lying around…