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

An investigation of a 1/18-scale dynamically similar model of the North American B-45 airplane was made to observe the ditching behavior and determine the proper landing technique to be used in an emergency water landing. Various conditions of damage were simulated to determine the behavior which probably would occur in a full-scale ditching. The behavior of the model was determined from high-speed motion-picture records, time-history acceleration records, and visual observations. It was concluded that the airplane should be ditched at the maximum nose-high attitude with the landing flaps full down for minimum landing speed. During the ditching, the nose-wheel and bomb-bay doors probably will be torn away and the rear of the fuselage flooded. A violent dive will very likely occur. Longitudinal decelerations of approximately 5g and vertical accelerations of approximately -6g (including gravity) will be experienced near the pilots' compartment. Ditching braces installed in the bomb bay will tend to improve the behavior slightly but will be torn away along with the bomb-bay doors. A hydroflap installed ahead of the nose-wheel doors will eliminate the dive and failure of the nose-wheel doors, and substantially reduce the motions and accelerations

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

Correlation Tests of the Ditching Behavior of an Army B-24D Airplane and a 1/16-size Model

Behaviors of both model and full-scale airplanes were ascertained by making visual observations, by recording time histories of decelerations, and by taking motion picture records of ditchings. Results are presented in form of sequence photographs and time-history curves for attitudes, vertical and horizontal displacements, and longitudinal decelerations. Time-history curves for attitudes and horizontal and vertical displacements for model and full-scale tests were in agreement; maximum longitudinal decelerations for both ditchings did not occur at same part of run; full-scale maximum deceleration was 50 percent greater

Ditching Investigations of Dynamic Models and Effects of Design Parameters on Ditching Characteristics

Data from ditching investigations conducted at the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory with dynamic scale models of various airplanes are presented in the form of tables. The effects of design parameters on the ditching characteristics of airplanes, based on scale-model investigations and on reports of full-scale ditchings, are discussed. Various ditching aids are also discussed as a means of improving ditching behavior