A Comparison Between the Drags Predicted by Boundary-Layer Theory and Experimental Drag Data for Bodies of Revolution

A finite-difference method used by Wang and Huang to predict the drag coefficients of axisymmetric bodies is systematically applied to eight series of model forms comprising nearly fifty bodies. Calculations of residual drag are compared to available experimental data in order to determine the usefulness of the method for predictive purposes. The method is shown to exhibit little sensitivity to changes in nose or tail radii or prismatic coefficient. The method does exhibit the ability to correctly predict drag trends for variations in length-to-diameter ratio, entrance-length-to-diameter ratio, and tail-length- to-diameter ratio.