Atmospheric Wind Tunnel #1, 1920s


When Langley was formed, the United States was far behind Europe in aeronautical technology, and Langley's first wind tunnel housed in Building 60 was essentially a replica of a 10 year old British wind tunnel. The Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory was the first facility built by the NACA and it was home to some of the most advanced research equipment and scientists/engineers during the golden age of aviation development. This reputation for excellence had very humble origins, beginning with the dedication of the first federally funded wind tunnel on June 11, 1920. The 5 foot Atmospheric Wind Tunnel #1 (AWT), in conjunction with the dedication of Langley. In a wind tunnel, a stationary object is placed in a tube-like structure and wind is created with a fan, providing researchers an opportunity to observe airflow around the object and the aerodynamic forces that act upon it. Wind tunnels are essential to the creation and testing of aircraft, allowing for experiments on designs without posing major risks to the pilots or to the aircraft.


Size: 4500px × 3012px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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