Longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics at Mach 0.60 to 2.86 of a fighter configuration with strut braced wing

An investigation was made to determine the effects on longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of utilizing struts to brace the wing to allow the wing thickness reduction on the LFAX-8 fighter configuration. Structural and load analysis indicated that the maximum airfoil thickness could be reduced from 4.5 to 3.1 percent with the strut brace concept. Wave drag theory indicated that reducing the wing maximum thickness from 4.5 percent to 3.1 percent would yield a significant reduction in zero-lift wave drag of about 28 percent at the design Mach number of 1.60. Strut arrangements designed and tested included, a single straight strut, a single swept strut, and a set of tandem straight struts. In addition, a wire of approximately the same cross sectional area replaced the single straight strut on one series of runs. The original LFAX-8 with the 4.5-percent-thick wing was retested to serve as a base line for this investigation.