Transition of the Laminar Boundary Layer on a Delta Wing with 74 degree Sweep in Free Flight at Mach Numbers from 2.8 to 5.3

The tests were conducted at Mach numbers from 2.8 to 5.3, with model surface temperatures small compared to boundary-layer recovery temperature. The effects of Mach number, temperature ratio, unit Reynolds number, leading-edge diameter, and angle of attack were investigated in an exploratory fashion. The effect of heat-transfer condition (i.e., wall temperature to total temperature ratio) and Mach number can not be separated explicitly in free-flight tests. However, the data of the present report, as well as those of NACA TN 3473, were found to be more consistent when plotted versus temperature ratio. Decreasing temperature ratio increased the transition Reynolds number. The effect of unit Reynolds number was small as was the effect of leading-edge diameter within the range tested. At small values of angle of attack, transition moved forward on the windward surface and rearward on the leeward surface. This trend was reversed at high angles of attack (6 deg to 18 deg). Possible reasons for this are the reduction of crossflow on the windward side and the influence of the lifting vortices on the leeward surface. When the transition results on the 740 delta wing were compared to data at similar test conditions for an unswept leading edge, the results bore out the results of earlier research at nearly zero heat transfer; namely, sweep causes a large reduction in the transition Reynolds number.