Investigations on stalling behaviour, rudder oscillations, take-off swing and flow round nacelles on the Tudor 1 aircraft

Abstract

During the development of the Tudor I aircraft, the Royal Aircraft Establishment co-operated in the flight tests. This report summarises the results, which are felt to be of general interest. The importance of 'deep tufting' in leading to an understanding of varied aerodynamic problems has again been forcibly demonstrated; namely in showing that: (a) early buffeting of the Tudor as the stall is approached was due to a very small airleak around the leading edge of the wing root causing a breakaway of flow, the resultant wake of which hit the tailplane, (b) early wing-tip stalling was shown to be due to small mal-fitment of the T.K.S. de-icers, (c) rudder "kicking" arose from flow through the hinge cutouts, (d) excessive take-off swing was due to poor rudder control as a result of the early rudder stall, and to the fact that the aircraft was stalled in the ground attitude, (e) the inner nacelle needed considerable lengthening.