The paper presents an aerodynamic investigation of 70 different streamlined bodies with fineness ratios ranging from 2 to 10. The bodies are chosen to idealize both unmanned and small manned aircraft fuselages and feature cross-sectional shapes that vary from circular to quadratic. The study focuses on friction and pressure drag in dependency of the individual body’s fineness ratio and cross section. The drag forces are normalized with the respective body’s wetted area to comply with an empirical drag estimation procedure. Although the friction drag coefficient then stays rather constant for all bodies, their pressure drag coefficients decrease with an increase in fineness ratio. Referring the pressure drag coefficient to the bodies’ cross-sectional areas shows a distinct pressure drag minimum at a fineness ratio of about three. The pressure drag of bodies with a quadratic cross section is generally higher than for bodies of revolution. The results are used to derive an improved form factor that can be employed in a classic empirical drag estimation method. The improved formulation takes both the fineness ratio and cross-sectional shape into account. It shows superior accuracy in estimating streamlined body drag when compared with experimental data and other form factor formulations of the literature.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Improved Form Factor for Drag Estimation of Fuselages with Various Cross Sections


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Journal of Aircraft ; 58 , 3 ; 549-561


    Publication date :

    2020-11-30


    Size :

    13 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Drag of fuselages with various contours

    De Cenzo, H. / Rooney, E. | Engineering Index Backfile | 1937


    Note on fuselages of low drag

    Harkham, J.R. / Ober, S. | Engineering Index Backfile | 1936


    Shaping of airplane fuselages for minimum drag

    DODBELE, S. / VAN DAM, C. / HOLMES, B. | AIAA | 1986


    Shaping of airplane fuselages for minimum drag

    DODBELE, S. S. / VAN DAM / C. P. et al. | AIAA | 1987