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KC-135A in flight - winglet study

KC-135A in flight - winglet study
Photo Number: EC79-11484
Photo Date: August 20, 1979
Formats: 521x480 JPEG Image (116 KBytes)
1111x1023 JPEG Image (505 KBytes)
3000x2764 JPEG Image (3,655 KBytes)
Description: The KC-135 with the winglets in flight over the San Gabriel mountains, south of Edwards AFB. While wind tunnel tests suggested that winglets - developed by NASA Langley's Richard Whitcomb - would significantly reduce drag, flight research proved their usefulness. Winglets were installed on an Air Force KC-135 and research flights were made in 1979 and 1980. These showed drag in flight was reduced by as much as 7 percent. Winglets soon appeared on production aircraft, although these were smaller than those mounted on the KC-135.
Keywords: KC-135 Images

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