The induced drag of flapped elliptic wings with cut-out and with flaps that extend the local chord

Abstract

Calculations have been made of the induced drag of flapped elliptic wings covering a range of aspect ratios from about 4 to about 12, a range Of flap spans from 0.2 to 1.0 of the wing span, and a range of flap cut-outs from 0 to 0.6 of the wing span. The results are presented in charts in a convenient form for application. Calculations have also been made of the induced drag of elliptic wings of an aspect ratio of about 6 with flaps that extend the local chord by 40 per cent when in operation ; flap spans of 0.26, 0.5 and 0.77 of the wing span were examined. It is concluded that for a given net flap span and lift increment minimum induced drag will be obtained with a cut-out of about 0.1 wing span. The effect of local chord extension due to a flap was found to be negligible. These results apply strictly to elliptic wings but they probably apply with fair accuracy to wings of taper ratio of the order of 2 : 1.