Abstract:

ESDU Aero W.S.02.03.10 gives curves of wave drag coefficient plotted against freestream Mach number for a two-dimensional parallel-sided section with leading edge formed by a semi-ellipse with its axis of symmetry in the freestream direction. For the special case of a flat leading edge the curve is theoretical; for a semi-circular leading edge it was derived by correlating experimental data. Another curve gives the maximum possible wave drag coefficient obtained by assuming the pressure everywhere over the nose is the stagnation pressure behind a normal shock wave. That curve and the one for a semi-circular nose profile were used to extrapolate the experimental results for other nose shapes to a freestream Mach number of 4 for nose length to thickness ratios up to unity, but only to a Mach number of 2 for higher values of that ratio, up to 4.