Modelling of a Scottish Aviation Bulldog using reverse engineering,wind tunnel and numerical methods

Abstract

Wind tunnel and numerical results are presented from a 33% scale model of a Scottish Aviation Bulldog light aircraft. The model was developed using reverse engineering and computer aided design processes from a laser scan of the full scale aircraft. This solid model was subsequently used to provide a basic aerodynamic wind tunnel assessment of the aircraft, specifically in the region behind the canopy. The computer aided design model was also meshed with 3.4 million cells in Ansys ICEM CFD and solved using Ansys Fluent. The CFD solution was verified and validated using comparisons with flight test and type record data. Subsequent comparisons of the CFD pressure data behind the canopy with the wind tunnel data was found to match within a ΔC_p of 0.05 which was within experimental error and scaling effects.

Keywords

CAD solid modelling laser scan computational fluid dynamics aerodynamics

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