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The Terminal Forces Acting on a Light Trailing Wire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

P. R. Payne*
Affiliation:
Wyle Laboratories, Payne Division, Rockville, Maryland

Extract

A “light wire” is one for which the integrated wire weight and tangential fluid friction forces are much smaller than the weight of the load which it supports, so that only the aerodynamic force acting normal to the wire need be considered. The equations for this simplified model were first formulated by Glauert, and have been further studied by Bryant et al and Neumark, among others. Ref. 4 contains a comprehensive list of references.

In this note Glauert's equations are used to obtain numerical results for the wire shape, a wire shape integral which is of interest for trailing wire antennas, and the steady state aerodynamic forces which act upon the aircraft. Computer solutions taking cable weight into account have indicated that the results for a weightless cable are realistic for many cases.

Type
Technical Notes
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1970 

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References

1. Glauert, H. The Stability of a Body Towed by a Light Wire. R & M No 1312, February 1930.Google Scholar
2. Glauert, H. The Form of a Heavy Flexible Cable Used for Towing a Heavy Body Below an Aeroplane. R & M No 1592, February 1934.Google Scholar
3. Bryant, L. W., Brown, W. S. and Sweeting, N. E. Collected Researches on the Stability of Kites and Towed Gliders. R & M No 2303, February 1942.Google Scholar
4. Neumark, S. Equilibrium Configurations of Flying Cables of Captive Balloons, and Cable Derivatives for Stability Calculations. R & M 3333, June 1961.Google Scholar