| Date Built: | 1993 |
| Last Renovated: | |
| Size H/W/L: | 4 ft x 4 ft x 8 ft (1.2 m x 1.2 m x 2.4 m) |
| Max Wind Speed: | 136.4 mph (219.5 kph) |
| Construction Type: | Solid, optical glass on sides and ceiling |
| Reynolds Number: | 254,000 to 1,272,000 (per ft) |
| Circuit Type: | Open |
| Power: | 200 hp |
| Power Type: | 6-blade, 9-ft diameter, adjustable pitch fan |
| Stagnation Pressure/Temperature: | Ambient / Ambient |
| Data System: | PC |
| Pressure System: | PSI8400 (up to 256 ports, 8 analog channels) |
| Balances: | 1 external, 3 sting balances |
| Ground Effects: | No |
| Test Types: | 3D, unsteady, applied research, fleet support |
| Air Supply System: | House air (100 psi), 500 psi tank |
| Air Mass Flow: | 0.5 lbm/sec (tank) |
| Prior Names: | |
| Facility Notes: | |
| Facility History: | Facility History The facility was originally designed and built by Sverdrup. Design started circa 1990-1991. The NATF was originally located at Naval Air Development Center Warminster PA. It took a number of years to find funding build a crude facility to house the tunnel. The building lacked air-conditioning and ventilation was in the form of two access doors and a small window. The control console was located just downstream of the tunnel exhaust. Personnel experienced ambient temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately it was a dry heat. The lack of ventilation also proved interesting when conducting smoke visualization work. After initial flow surveys and calibrations were performed the first tests were conducted in 1996. Two tests were performed that year and then the wind tunnel was disassembled and moved to its present location at Patuxent River Naval Air Station due to the closing of NADC. The facility was moved by Phoenix Inc. with out incident and the facility was brought back on-line in February 1997. The facility now is housed in an air-conditioned room that maintains a constant facility temperature. Three rooms exist: control room/office model preparation area/tool room and laser preparation area. Tests: Year TYPE 1994 Facility Calibration and Documentation Calibration VSTOL Jet in Ground Effect Applied Research 1996 F/A-18E/F Flow Visualization studies with wing LEX fillets Applied Research 76/40 degree Double Delta Wing tail buffet test Applied Research 1997 Hot film sensor studies SBIR support (Tao Systems) Pitot probe calibration Flight Test Support NATF PSI8440 System used to support JSF Harrier Flight Test Fleet Support 1998 76/40 degree Double Delta Wing canted-tail tail buffet test Applied Research 5-hole probe calibration Fleet Support Dragon Drone UAV Drag Test Fleet Support 1999 UCAV flow visualization Basic Research 2000 UCAV unsteady flowfield testing Basic Research Ultrasonic anemometer validation test Fleet Support NATF thermal anemometry support to USNA Applied Research 2001 NATF thermal anemometry support to USNA Applied Research Vortex Flow Control Effector Tests Basic Research V-22 Fuel Dump Test Fleet Support 2002 Vortex Flow Control Effector Tests Basic Research Anemometer validation Flight Test Support 2003 Vortex Flow Control Effector Tests Basic Research Halyard Sensor Test Fleet Support High Wind/Rotor Wake Test (Summer) Applied Research Notes: Items in "red" are equipment support to other facilities. |
| Tunnel Diagrams & Images: | |
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