LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
After 78 years of operation, the Langley full-scale wind tunnel finally took its last breath.
The tunnel, built by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, served a vital role in aerodynamic testing and research, from biplanes to X-planes.
Originally designed to test full-sized aircraft and models, the tunnel was built in 1930 for approximately $1 million. At 30-by-60 feet, it was the largest in the world from 1931 to 1944 and is currently the third largest in the United States.
"It's not possible to walk into this wind tunnel and not feel like you're walking amongst some of the pioneers in aviation," explained Bob Ash, ODU professor of aerospace engineering and director of wind tunnel enterprise.
Drew Landman, Langley full-scale tunnel manager and ODU aerospace engineering faculty member, said the purpose of the tunnel was to provide a controlled test environment for measuring aerodynamic forces on air and ground vehicles.
Over the course of history, the wind tunnel has been used to test P-51 aircraft, the Mercury entry capsule, NASCAR vehicles and even submarines.
The wind tunnel "has been used to test virtually every fighter military aircraft up to the F-18 Hornet and recently the SEAL submarine for U.S. Special Forces," Dr. Ash said.
The last aircraft tested at the tunnel was an X-48C experimental aircraft. Research with the X-48C might allow for a greater understanding of aircraft fuel efficiency and a new breed of flying-wing aircraft.
"It's a big honor to have my little airplane be part of that lineup," said Dharmendra Patel, Boeing Co. X-48C project manager.
The Langley wind tunnel has had a dynamic history. Tunnel testing ended Sept. 4.