1927

From The Space Library

Air Corps sponsored development of Allison "X" typo engine of 24 cylinders expected to develop 1,400 hp; while Navy fight tested radial air-cooled Wright R-1750, and used Pratt & Whitney Wasp in a number of service aircraft.

Coordination between NACA and British Aeronautical Research Committee included exchange of views at joint meetings and a program of comparative research for standardization of wind tunnel data.

Operation of Materiel Division wind tunnels at McCook Field handicapped by move to the new Wright Field. During the year, the new full-scale Propeller-Research Tunnel at Langley Laboratory became operational, while the Bureau of Standards tested 24 airfoil sections at various speeds up to 1.08 times the speed of sound.

Superchargers passed from experimental development stage to active service use on radial air-cooled engines, while both Roots-type and centrifugal-type superchargers were being tested on water-cooled engines.

Appearance of Lockheed Vega set pace for general-purpose aircraft, a high cantilever wing and wooden stressed-skin fuselage which permitted large interior structure for passengers as well as reducing weight and drag.