The Flow Over a “High” Aspect Ratio Gothic Wing at Supersonic Speeds

Abstract

SummaryResults are presented of an experimental investigation on a non-conical wing which supports an attached shock wave over a region of the leading edge near the vertex and a detached shock elsewhere. The shock detachment point is determined from planform schlieren photographs of the flow field and discrepancies are shown to exist between this and the one calculated by applying the oblique shock equations normal to the leading edge. On a physical basis, it is argued that shock detachment has to obey the two-dimensional law normal to the leading edges. From this, and from other measurements on conical wings, it is thought that the planform schlieren technique may not be particularly satisfactory for detecting shock detachment. Surface pressure distributions are presented and are explained in terms of the flow over related delta wings which are identified as a vertex delta wing and a local delta wing. The forces acting on the wing are calculated and are shown to be very close to the two-dimensional wedge values over a wide range of incidence. In particular, it is shown that this wing, compared to one which supports a fully detached shock wave, generates a higher lift/(pressure drag) ratio at a given lift coefficient.