1945

From The Space Library

Revision as of 22:18, 15 September 2009 by RobertG (Talk | contribs)

(diff) ←Older revision | Current revision (diff) | Newer revision→ (diff)

During Spring: Supplemental appropriation passed by Congress authorized expanded research on guided missiles at NACA Langley Laboratory, including establishment of a rocket launch facility at Wallops Island, Va.

Abe Silverstein of Lewis Laboratory made basic application of ramjet technology to the problem of afterburner design, leading to the first full-scale afterburner tests.

New wind tunnels placed under construction at NACA's Ames Laboratory at Moffett Field, Langley Laboratory at Hampton, Va., and Propulsion Laboratory at Cleveland, to attain speeds of 1,400, 1,800, and 2,600 mph with various sized throats.

German Henkel He-102 Salamander or "Volksjaeger" jet fighter appeared operationally, while the prototype of a heavy jet bomber appeared in the Junkers Ju-287 (four-engine) with auxiliary takeoff rockets, swept forward wings, speed over 550 mph, and bomb load of 8,800 pounds.

End of 1945: Increase in speed of reciprocating-engined fighter aircraft by 300 to 400 mph between World War I and World War II (speed being only one military criterion) was estimated to be 75 percent gain because of Increased horsepower, 25 percent from aerodynamic improvement.

Dr. Jerome C. Hunsaker pointed out that U.S. aeronautical research effort during World War II was based upon short-range policy of about 90 percent for specific development problems applied to help win the war and 10 percent on basic research to gain needed knowledge. The national research effort has "concentrated on the improvement of aircraft in the production program."