Experimental Aircraft

Title: [Two Men with Lockheed 10B Electra] ..Creator: Robert Yarnall Richie ..Date: March 1940..Place: Houston, Texas ..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie Photograph Collection..Description: Two men looking at a More

(November 9, 1951) The third X-1 (46-064), known as "Queenie," is mated to the EB-50A (46- 006) at Edwards AFB, California. Following a captive flight on November 9, 1951, both aircraft were destroyed by fire d More

Title: [Lockheed 12A Electra Junior]..Creator: Robert Yarnall Richie ..Date: March 1940..Place: Houston, Texas ..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie Photograph Collection..Description: A Lockheed Model 12A Electra J More

Title: [Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar, Banking in Flight, James S. Abercrombie Company]..Creator: Robert Yarnall Richie ..Date: ca. 1947-1948..Place: Houston, Texas..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie Photograph Colle More

Description: The X-15 #2 (56-6671) launches away from the B-52 mothership with its rocket engine ignited. The white patches near the middle of the ship are frost from the liquid oxygen used in the propulsion sy More

L90-4341: "The Langley Aerodrome, brainchild of a group led by Samuel Langley. Shortly after this photo was taken, the December 8, 1903, manned tests of the Aerodrome ended abruptly in failure, as it fell into More

A LMAL carpenter prepares full scale wings for flight research, 1920. Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication (page 36), by James Schultz. Published in Engineer in Charge, NAS More

Model of the XN2Y-1 for testing in 15-Foot Spin Tunnel. This was one of two balsa wood models (the other was a 1/12-scale model of the F4B-2) for initial testing and calibration of the new tunnel. Researchers w More

A LMAL carpenter prepares full scale wings for flight research, 1920. Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication (page 36), by James Schultz. Published in Engineer in Charge, NAS More

The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)'s first wind tunnel,Located at Langley Field in Hampton,VA,was an open-circuit wind tunnel completed in 1920. Essentially a replica of the ten-year-old tun More

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 17, 2014) The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) conducts flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The aircraft completed a serie More

ATLANTIC OCEAN (May. 17, 2013) An X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator prepares to execute a touch and go landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). This i More

ATLANTIC OCEAN (May. 21, 2013) An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator conducts a touch and go landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). The aircraft, nic More

ATLANTIC OCEAN (May. 14, 2013) An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator flies near the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). George H.W. Bush is the first aircraft carrier to successful More

Installing the U.S.A. 35B airfoil test section for testing in the Variable-Density Tunnel(VDT). The VDT Log Book entry for January 3, 1925 notes that this airfoil was installed "for a test with the new big stre More

Fire gutted interior of Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT). On August 1, 1927 a major fire broke out inside the VDT. Clean-up, repair, redesign and reinstallation of equipment took about 8 months. From the Variable More

Model of Sperry Messenger (U.S.A. 5 airfoil) being tested inside the Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT). The tests were run in early January 1925. Testing was suspended on January 15th "until model and airplane coul More

Equipment used for pressurizing the Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT): The VDT tunnel is on the right; the compressors are on the left. Figure 4 in the NACA Technical Report 227 (Part 2) identifies each piece of eq More

Local call number: PR00436..Corporate author: Underwood & Underwood...Title: [Ornithopter and creator George R. White at St. Augustine] ..Physical descrip: 1 photograph: b&w; 10 x 8 in...General note: Ornithopt More

Sperry M-1 Messenger: The Sperry M-1 Messenger mounted for testing in the Propeller Research Tunnel, 1927. NASA Identifier: L2067

Local call number: PR00458..Corporate author: Underwood & Underwood...Title: [Ornithopter and creator George R. White at St. Augustine]..Physical descrip: 1 photograph: b&w; 10 x 8 in...General note: George R. More

Local call number: PR00456..Corporate author: Underwood & Underwood...Title: [Ornithopter and inventor George R. White at Saint Augustine] . .Physical descrip: 1 photograph: b&w ; 10 x 8 in...General note: The More

Fire gutted interior of Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT). On August 1, 1927 a major fire broke out inside the VDT. Clean-up, repair, redesign and reinstallation of equipment took about 8 months. From the Variable More

This Boeing PW-9 was built with strong tail surfaces and fuselage for the systematic investigation of pressure distribution. Although the PW-9 designation would seem to mark a military aircraft, the NACA Boeing More

View of the interior of the exit cone of the Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT) during its brief period of operation as an open throat design. After the fire, the VDT section engineers decided to convert the tunnel More

In aviation's youth, instrument panels and controls were models of simplicity - at least compared with those of modern aircraft. The cockpit illustrated is a Fairchild FC-2W2 from 1928. Photograph published in More

Tunnel interior views of USS Los Angeles Airship. US Navy airship in flight. Tunnel installation set-up. The device mounted at the tower's apex made a turning radius measurement of the Navy Dirigible U.S.S. Los More

View of the interior of the exit cone of the Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT) during its brief period of operation as an open throat design. After the fire, the VDT section engineers decided to convert the tunnel More

Standing on the PRT balance are five of the six men who comprised the majority of the PRT engineering staff in 1928. From left to right: Fred Weick, Ray Windler, William H. Herrnstein, Jr., John L. Crigler, and More

In aviation's youth, instrument panels and controls were models of simplicity - at least compared with those of modern aircraft. The cockpit illustrated is a Fairchild FC-2W2 from 1928. Photograph published in More

This diagram, based on a LMAL drawing from 1928, illustrates the Lab's plan for correcting the turbulent airflow that had plagued the original Variable Density Tunnel. Notice in particular the change from open- More

Standing on the PRT balance are five of the six men who comprised the majority of the PRT engineering staff in 1928. From left to right: Fred Weick, Ray Windler, William H. Herrnstein, Jr., John L. Crigler, and More

Installation of Full Scale Tunnel (FST) power plant. Virginia Public Service Company could not supply adequate electricity to run the wind tunnels being built at Langley. (The Propeller Research Tunnel was powe More

Model of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) under construction. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel . "The excellent energy ratio obtai More

Interior view of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) model. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy ratio obtained in More

Model of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) under construction. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel . "The excellent energy ratio obtai More

Model of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) under construction. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy ratio obtain More

Interior view of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) model. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy ratio obtained in More

Modified propeller and spinner in Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) model. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy More

Model of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) under construction. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy ratio obtain More

In 1922, at NASA Langley Research Center, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautic (NACA), completed the Variable Density Tunnel (VDT), the world's first wind tunnel in which air pressures could be varied More

Model of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) under construction. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy ratio obtain More

Installation of Full Scale Tunnel (FST) power plant. Virginia Public Service Company could not supply adequate electricity to run the wind tunnels being built at Langley. (The Propeller Research Tunnel was powe More

Schematic diagram of Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT) - open throat design. Eastman Jacobs and Ira Abbott note in NACA TR 416 (p. 305) that a serious fire destroyed the tunnel (not the steel shell) in August 1927. More

Vought SU-2 Corsair: The Vought SU-2 Corsair was originally designated the O3U-4, but was reassigned to the scout category of naval aircraft. This SU-2 was tested in Langley's 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel in 1934. More

Langley's drag-cleanup studies of the Brewster Buffalo experimental fighter in 1938 were so productive that the U.S. Army and Navy sent most of their World War II prototype and production aircraft to the Labora More

Vought O3U-1 "Corsair" in Full-Scale Tunnel (FST). This photograph was taken in September 1931 after the balance had been enclosed. This aircraft was also used earlier during the summer for preliminary tests in More

Construction of the wood frame for the Two-Dimensional Low-Turbulence Tunnel. The Two-Dimensional Low-Turbulence Tunnel was originally called the Refrigeration or "Ice" tunnel because it was intended to support More

Gathered together in the only facility big enough to hold them, attendees at Langleys 1934 aircraft Engineering Conference pose in the Full Scale Wind Tunnel underneath a Boeing P-26A Peashooter. Present, among More

Construction of pontoon hull model to be tested in Tow Tank No. 1. This is a 1/6 full size model of the hull of a Navy PH-1 flying boat. Two typical tests were conducted and included in the first report describ More

Construction of 5-Foot Vertical Wind Tunnel. The 5-Foot Vertical Wind Tunnel was built to study spinning characteristics of aircraft. It was an open throat tunnel capable of a maximum speed of 80 mph. NACA engi More

Force Test set-up in 7 x 10-Foot Atmospheric Wind Tunnel (AWT). In 1928, the NACA decided to replace its original Atmospheric Wind Tunnel (AWT #1) with two tunnels--the 5-foot vertical tunnel and a 7 by 10 foot More

Engineer is shown adjusting a test model of the Clark-Y airfoil #1 in 7 x 10-Foot Atmospheric Wind Tunnel (AWT). In 1928, the NACA decided to replace its original Atmospheric Wind Tunnel (AWT #1) with two tunne More

Loening XSL-1: One of the first tests in the 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel was a performance evaluation of the Loening XSL-1 single engine seaplane, October 1931. The Loeining was designed as a collapsible scout fo More

Wing and nacelle set-up in Full-Scale Tunnel (FST). The NACA conducted drag tests in 1931 on a P3M-1 nacelle which were presented in a special report to the Navy. Smith DeFrance described this work in the repor More

Wing and nacelle set-up in Full-Scale Tunnel (FST). The NACA conducted drag tests in 1931 on a P3M-1 nacelle which were presented in a special report to the Navy. Smith DeFrance described this work in the repor More

Wing and nacelle set-up in Full-Scale Tunnel (FST). The NACA conducted drag tests in 1931 on a P3M-1 nacelle which were presented in a special report to the Navy. Smith DeFrance described this work in the repor More

Force Test set-up in 7 x 10-Foot Atmospheric Wind Tunnel (AWT). In 1928, the NACA decided to replace its original Atmospheric Wind Tunnel (AWT #1) with two tunnels--the 5-foot vertical tunnel and a 7 by 10 foot More

Construction of 5-Foot Vertical Wind Tunnel. The 5-Foot Vertical Wind Tunnel was built to study spinning characteristics of aircraft. It was an open throat tunnel capable of a maximum speed of 80 mph. NACA engi More

Control panel below the test section of the 8-Foot High Speed Tunnel (8-Foot HST). Authorized July 17, 1933, construction of the 8-Foot HST was paid for with funds from the Federal Public Works Administration. More

Control panel below the test section of the 8-Foot High Speed Tunnel (8-Foot HST). Authorized July 17, 1933, construction of the 8-Foot HST was paid for with funds from the Federal Public Works Administration. More

Control panel below the test section of the 8-Foot High Speed Tunnel (8-Foot HST). Authorized July 17, 1933, construction of the 8-Foot HST was paid for with funds from the Federal Public Works Administration. More

Control panel below the test section of the 8-Foot High Speed Tunnel (8-Foot HST). Authorized July 17, 1933, construction of the 8-Foot HST was paid for with funds from the Federal Public Works Administration. More

The researcher is sitting above the exit cone of the 5-foot Vertical Wind Tunnel and is examining the new 6-component spinning balance. This balance was developed between 1930 and 1933. It was an important adva More

The Boeing P-26A fighter mounted in the 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel in 1934. Nicknamed the "Peashooter," it was the first Army fighter to be constructed entirely of metal and to employ the low-wing monoplane conf More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Annotation and military censor stamp on contact print accompanying negative. To identify this image it may help to search for images that have neighbor More

A 1/40th scale model of the navy airship U.S.S. Akron being prepared for aerodynamic testing on a ground board at zero degrees of yaw in the Full Scale Tunnel in 1935. NASA Identifier: L11344

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Testing a 1/12th scale model of SBN-1 in the 12-Foot Free-Flight Tunnel: The 12-foot free-flight wind tunnel was constructed in 1939 to assist researchers studying the problems of stability and control. The des More

The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory acquired two Lockheed P–38J Lightning in October 1944 to augment their burgeoning icing research program. The P–38 was More

Local call number: PR09204..Title: Planes flying over new streamliner ..Date: 1939..Physical descrip: 1 photograph; b&w; 8 x 10 in...Series Title: Print collection..Repository: State Library and Archives of Flo More

Radial Engines: Pratt & Whitney: In the spring of 1939 Langley's Power Plants Division tested a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine to determine the amount of thrust that could be obtained by projecting the wa More

A Consolidated B–24D Liberator (left), Boeing B–29 Superfortress (background), and Lockheed RA–29 Hudson (foreground) parked inside the Flight Research Building at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautic More

Lockheed P-38 model in 40x80ft w.t. with revised twisted wing at 10 deg. (tuft studies)

Title devised by Library staff, from a related image of a C-54A Skymaster which had been erroneously given the above caption. Actual size of negative is B (approximately 5 x 7 inches). Contact print either atta More

Curtiss XSO3C-1 Seagull: Although drag reduction was very important to radial engined aircraft, it was no less important to aircraft such as this inline Ranger powered Curtiss XSO3C-1 Seagull. Here the Seagull More

Lockheed YP-38 Lightning: Drag cleanup tests were conducted on the Lockheed YP-38 Lightning in the 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel in December, 1941. Later models of the P-38 performed stellar service in WW II, but a More

6-Inch open throat wind tunnel design for the 19-Foot Pressure Tunnel (model constructed in 1936, photograph taken in 1940). NASA Identifier: L19306

Grumman XF8F-1 Bearcat: This Grumman Bearcat, the first, the XF8F-1, was tested for directional instability in Langley's 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel. NASA Identifier: L42397

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Image source: Official U.S. Navy photo from OWI. Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Ove More

Lockheed YP-38 Lightning: Drag cleanup tests were conducted on the Lockheed YP-38 Lightning in the 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel in December, 1941. Later models of the P-38 performed stellar service in WW II, but a More

E-9XS-1 on the ramp with the B-29 mothership in 1949. This is the second XS-1 built; it later was converted into the X-1E. Unlike the XS-1-1, which was flown by the Air Force, the XS-1-2 was flown mostly by Bel More

The secret test of the Bell YP–59A Airacomet in the spring of 1944 was the first investigation in the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory’s new Altitude Wind T More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Caption card lists some of the printing history of image. Image source: Official British photo. Title and other information from caption card. Transfer More

PV-1 model; rear view with 2 1/2' x 2 1/2' trubulene net mount in the 7x10ft w.t. at Ames Research Center

Northrop P-61A-5 Black Widow (AAF42-5572) Note: Used in publication in Flight Research at Ames; 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology NASA SP-1998-3300 fig 44

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Image source: Douglas Aircraft Company. Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Pic More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More

Actual size of negative is C (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 More