History buffs will enjoy the Associated Press story by Sonja Barisic - in the Roanoke Times, Saturday March 27th , 1999, about the "old" wind tunnel, at Langley. "NASA's old fighter-plane tunnel can still get the wind up." Nasa decommissioned the 1931 Wind Tunnel in 1995, and gave operating rights to Old Dominion University. The University is operating the wind tunnel commercially to test NASCAR race cars, and Volvo Trucks, etc., at $1400/hr.
Fred Weick, Under Dr. Munk, designed and built this wind tunnel when he went to work for NACA at Langley. Virtually all the WWII airplanes were tested in this tunnel, along with Weick's W-1 airplane.(Page 138, From the Ground Up). I believe this was the first full scale wind tunnel built.(maybe in the World). The Wright Brothers had also built a wind tunnel to test scale models of their gliders and the Wright Flyer, but is is a small unit using scale models of wings, etc. My understanding is that the Ercoupe was not tested in a wind tunnel, but that the airfoils selected were chosen as a result of tests in the tunnel. I have saved the article, if someone would like copies - or would be able to scan it into the Ercoupe historical database. Harry Francis 93530 Blacksburg, Va.
<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
