Two-Dimensional Airfoils in Hypersonic Flows

Abstract

Equations for the force and moment coefficients of a sharpedged two-dimensional airfoil are developed on the basis of Tsien's hypersonic similarity law. The coefficients are calculated for a flat plate and for three airfoils with thickness. The optimum airfoil is a wedge whose lower surface is flat, with the maximum thickness at mid-chord. The results are valid when the product of the Mach Number and the thickness ratio is of the order of 1.