Wind Tunnel Development of Means to Alleviate Buffeting of the North American XP-82 Airplane at High Speeds

This report presents the results of wind-tunnel tests of a 0.22-scale model of the North American XP-82 airplane with several modifications designed to reduce the buffeting of the airplane. The effects of various modifications on the air flow over the model are shown by means of photographs of tufts. The drag, lift, and pitching-moment coefficients of the model with several of the modifications are shown. The result indicate that, by reflexing the trailing edge of the center section of the wing and modifying the radiator air-scoop gutter and the inboard lower-surface wing fillets, the start of buffeting can be delayed from a Mach number of 0.70 to 0.775, and that the diving tendency of the airplane would be eliminated up to a Mach number of 0.80.