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National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Technical Notes - Tests of NACA Airfoils in the Variable Density Wind Tunnel, Series 43 & 63

This note is one of a series covering an investiga-
tion of a family of related airfoils. It gives in prelim-
inary form the results obtained from tests in the H.A.C.A.
Variable—Density Wind Tunnel of two groups of six airfoils
each. One group, the 43 series, has a maximum mean camber
of 4 per cent of the chord at a position 0.3 of the chord
from the leading edge; the other group, the 63 series, has
a maximum mean camber of 6 per cent of the cherd at the
same position. The members within each group differ only
in maximum thickness, the maximum thickness/chord ratios
being: 0.06, 0.09. 0.12, 0.15, 0.18, and 0.21. The re—
sults are analyzed with a view to indicating the variation
of the aerodynamic characteristics with profile thickness
for airfoils having a certain mEan camber line.

An extensive study of the relation between the ge—
ometric and the aerodynamic preperties of airfoils at a
high value of the Reynolds Number is in progress in the
Variable—Density Wind Tunnel of the Hational Advisory 00m~
mittee for Aeronautics. Tests of a large number of rela—
ted airfoils are being made at a Reynolds Eunber of approx-
imately 3,000,000 with a view to establishing definitely
the effect of systematic variations in profile shape upon
the lift, drag. and pitching mement characteristics of
airfoils. For the purpoSe of this investigation, as dis-
cussed in reference 1, airfoil profiles are considered as
made up of certain profile thickness forms disposed about
certain mean camber line forms. The various N.A.C.A. air—
foils for this investigation were developed by changing
systematically these two shape variables. Six maximum
thickness/chord ratios were chosen: 0.06, 0.09 0.12, 0.15,
0.18, and 0.21. The mean camber line form depends on two
variables, the maximum mean camber and the distance from
the leading edge to the position of the maximum mean camber.
Three ratios of the maximum mean camber to the chord were
chosen: 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06. These were combined with

six positions of maximum mean camber: 0.2. 0.3, 0.4. 0.5,
0.5, and 0.? of the chord from the leading edge. The air—
foils so produced are designated by"a number of flour digits;
.the first indicates the maximum mean camber; the second,
the position of the maximum mean camber; and the last two,
the maximum thickness.