Body-Wing Interference at Supersonic Speeds

Abstract

SummaryA summary of available information on the problem of body-wing interference in supersonic flow has shown, inter alia, that a large number of theoretical methods are available for the prediction of interference characteristics. Many of these methods are chiefly concerned with the estimation of overall characteristics,i.e.normal force and pitching moment. Several methods are available to determine the pressure distribution for restricted types of configurations, but these often involve lengthy computation.It is the aim of this paper (Part I) to summarise a simple yet reasonably accurate method of estimating the pressure distribution and hence (in Part II) the overall characteristics of as general a body-wing configuration as possible. The method which applies essentially to a cropped-delta wing symmetrically mounted on a cylindrical body, achieves reasonable accuracy without considerable computational effort; it is based on certain theoretical results together with empirical modifications. The results for pressure are generally valid up to an angle of incidence, α=6° —8° and in some cases for higher values of α. The overall normal force and centre of pressure position should hold up to α= 10°.