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INTER COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE
FILE DATE
CODE May 20, 1969
TO - NAME DEPT. DIVISION PLANT/OFFICE
Distribution
FROM - NAME DEPT. DIVISION PLANT/OFFICE
J. E. Vaughn 4830 Space Huntsville
Performance Report - Aerodynamic Investigation of 3/8 Scale Automobiles in the
Wind Tunnel - Report Period - May 1-15, 1969
Our latest contacts with Central Engineering in Detroit stated that track
tests of the proposed race car are now scheduled to begin July 5, 1969 at Daytona
International Speedway. It is therefore obvious that the proposed race car will
not race in the July 4th Daytona "Firecracker 400" as originally hoped. Apparently
then, the first appearance of this car will be at the "Talladega 500" race in September,
1969, at the new Talladega, Alabama race track.
Wind tunnel results obtained on the race car equipped with vertical stabilizers
and high-flying horizontal wings have been prepared by Central Engineering personnel
and were presented to the proper race personnel on May 14. This report is being
circulated to interested Huntsville people for informational purposes.
Central Engineering has decided to form their own Aerodynamics Group.
Therefore, our participation in race aerodynamics after July 31 is somewhat in
question at this point. We are presently preparing the final report on results from
"E" series wind tunnel tests and were initially scheduled to begin preparation for
"G" series wind tunnel work. However at this point the latter activity looks doubtful.
Since we have established a good reputation with the Central Engineering people and
have a good working relationship, we should begin to investigate other areas where
we could be of value to them and propose areas of endeavor. At the moment, vehicle
stability and control appears to be of major concern. This subject is readily amenable
to computer study. Therefore we should be pitching our capability in control and
trajectory analysis in an effort to obtain automobile studies. Much aerodynamic input
will be required for any study of vehicle control and stability so that the program could
JEV:lp
Distribution
H. Bader, Jr.
W. P. Wright •<-
M. L. Bell
J. E. Call
E. E. Zimmerman
84- 1 10-7879 REV. 1-63