Supplementary Ditching Investigation of a 1/18-Scale Model of the North American B-45 Airplane

A supplementary investigation of a 1/18-scale dynamically similar model of the North American B-45 airplane was made in calm water to observe the ditching behavior and to determine the effect of further conditions of simulated damage. The behavior of the model was determined from motion-picture records, time-history deceleration records, and visual observations. It was concluded that, during a ditching, the nose-wheel doors, bomb-bay doors, under surface of the aft fuselage and lower part of the bomb-bay aft bulkhead will be torn away. When such damage occurs, the diving found in the previous tests will not occur and the airplane will porpoise during the first third of the landing run and then run smoothly. Because of the extensive damage which occurs, the fuselage aft of the pilots' compartment will fill with water very rapidly and is, therefore, an undesirable ditching station. No change in the previously recommended ditching attitude and flap setting (6 deg attitude, flaps down) is indicated by these supplementary tests.