Wind-tunnel testing of the Wright Brothers' Model B airfoil

Wind-tunnel tests of a Wright Model B airfoil have been conducted using two-dimensional models in full- and third-scale at flight Reynolds numbers. In an effort to ascertain the effect of rib and covering construction on airfoil aerodynamics, the full-scale model was fabric covered and maintained the original dimensions of the Wright Model B Flyer wing. Because the full-scale model could only be tested over a small angle-of-attack range, a solid surface, third-scale pressure model was constructed. Lift and pitching moment polars from the tests are presented over a range of angles of attack spanning zero lift to poststall. A drag polar is presented for an angle-of-attack range from -4 to 6 deg. Surface static pressure distributions are presented from the third-scale model. Flow visualization study results show separation on the bottom surface for angles of attack below 0 deg and on the top surface for angles of attack above 6.5 degrees. The Wright wind-tunnel tests of 1901 are shown to have given excellent correlation for lift values when compared to the present test.