Rocket Research Presentation at the NACA's 1947 Inspection

Researcher John Sloop briefs visitors on his latest rocket engine research during the 1947 Inspection at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. The NACA had been hosting annual Aircraft Engineering Conferences, better known as Inspections, since 1926. Individuals from the manufacturing industry, military, and university settings were invited to tour the NACA laboratories. There were a series of stops on the tour, mostly at test facilities, where researchers would brief the group on the latest efforts in their particular field. The Inspections grew in size and scope over the years and by the mid-1940s required multiple days. The three-day 1947 Inspection was the first time the event was held at NACA Lewis. Over 800 scientists, industrialists, and military leaders attended the three-day event. Talks were given at the Altitude Wind Tunnel, Four Burner Area, Engine Research Building, and other facilities. An array of topics were discussed, including full-scale engine testing, ramjets, axial-flow compressors, turbojets, fuels, icing, and materials. The NACA Lewis staff and their families were able to view the same presentations after the Inspection was over. Sloop, a researcher in the Fuels and Thermodynamics Division, briefed visitors on NACA Lewis’ early research in rocket engine propellants, combustion, and cooling. This early NACA Lewis work led to the development of liquid hydrogen as a viable propellant in the late 1950s.