NACA - The Wind and Beyond - History of Aerodynamics in America

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In summary, "NACA - The Wind and Beyond - History of Aerodynamics in America" explores the evolution of aerodynamics in the United States, highlighting the foundational role of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in advancing aviation technology. The narrative details key milestones, influential figures, and significant research initiatives that shaped the field, emphasizing the impact of wind tunnel testing and theoretical developments on aircraft design and performance. The document underscores NACA's contributions to both military and civilian aviation, ultimately laying the groundwork for modern aeronautics.
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A three volume set of aviation history in the US.

https://www.nasa.gov/history/histor...rces/nasa-history-series/the-wind-and-beyond/

Volume I is an account of the invention of the airplane and creation of the aeronautical research establishment in the United States. Edited by James R. Hansen with D. Bryan Taylor, Jeremy Kinney, and J. Lawrence Lee. PDF (4.7 MB)

Volume II explores the airplane design revolution of the 1920s and 1930s and the quest for improved airfoils. Edited by James R. Hansen with Jeremy Kinney, D. Bryan Taylor, Molly Prickett, and J. Lawrence Lee. PDF (5.9 MB)

Volume III explores the aerodynamics of airships, flying boats, and rotary-wing aircraft. Edited by James R. Hansen and Jeremy R. Kinney with D. Bryan Taylor, Molly F. Prickett, and J. Lawrence Lee. PDF (16.6 MB)

https://www.nasa.gov/history/histor...ies/nasas-first-a-aeronautics-from-1958-2008/
Aeronautics, the first A of the NASA acronym, has always been a part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

https://www.nasa.gov/history/histor...rces/nasa-history-series/naca-to-nasa-to-now/
NACA to NASA to Now: The Frontiers of Air and Space in the American Century tells the story of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and its successor, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The NACA and NASA facilitated the advance of technology for flight in air and space throughout the 20th and into the 21st century. This book explores how and why aerospace technology took the course it did, discusses some of the key people who drove aerospace science and technology development, and examines the political, economic, managerial, international, and cultural contexts in which the events of flight have unfolded.


I encountered the NACA publication The Wind and Beyond in the following video: Supermarine Spiteful, Superprop!


There is an interesting discussion on the wing design and manufacturing.
 
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This annoys me because The Wind and Beyond is also the title of Theodore von Kármán's autobiography.
 
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boneh3ad said:
This annoys me because The Wind and Beyond is also the title of Theodore von Kármán's autobiography.
It seems like a pretty generic title for good accounts...

The Wind and Beyond is an award-winning reference work, drawing together the historical documents that spell out the advancements in aviation technology and aerodynamics throughout the twentieth century.

NASA SP-4409
 
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berkeman said:
It seems like a pretty generic title for good accounts...
I've been thinking about writing a book called The Fellowship of the Ring. It's a working title.
 
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