Ditching Tests of a 1/10-Scale Model of the North American XFJ-1 Airplane Ted No. NACA 314

Tests were made of a 1/10-scale dynamically similar model of the North American XFJ-1 airplane to study its behavior when ditched. The model was landed in calm water at the Langley tank no. 2 monorail. Various landing attitudes, speeds, and conditions of damage were simulated. The behavior of the model was determined from visual observations, by recording the accelerations, and by taking motion pictures of the ditchings. Data are presented in tabular form, sequence photographs, and time-history acceleration curves. From the results of the tests it was concluded that the airplane should be ditched at the near-stall, tail-down landing attitude of 12 deg. The flaps should be fully extended to obtain the lowest possible landing speed. The wing-tip tanks should be jettisoned if any appreciable load of fuel remains; if empty, they should be retained for additional buoyancy. In a calm-water ditching the airplane will probably run about 600 feet Maximum longitudinal decelerations of about 2.5g and maximum vertical acceleration of about 2g will be encountered. The nose-intake duct will be clear of the water until practically all forward motion has stopped.