Hispanic Recognition Ceremony NASA Identifier: C-2006-1861
.005 inch x 1 inch sonic boom transport scale model. NASA Identifier: L61-1868
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Portable Electronic Device (PED) study. Chamber B Fuel Quantity Indication System (FQIS) installation. Photographed in building 1220, room 144B. NASA Identifier: L99-1876
L90-4341: "The Langley Aerodrome, brainchild of a group led by Samuel Langley. Shortly after this photo was taken, the December 8, 1903, manned tests of the Aerodrome ended abruptly in failure, as it fell into More
Samuel Pierpont Langley (1834 - 1906) and Charles M. Manly (left) chief mechanic and pilot on board the houseboat which served to launch Langley's Aerodrome aircraft over the Potomac River in 1903. NASA Identif More
Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory as it appeared shortly after completion in 1918. Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication (page 2), by James Schultz. NASA Identifier: L1378
NASA Identifier: S73-30625 Public domain photograph of military parade, army ceremony, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Fokker D.VII: The Fokker D.VII was one of the best fighter aircraft of World War I, and was the only weapon used by the Central Powers specifically mentioned in the Versailles Treaty. The Central Powers surrend More
NASA Identifier: S73-30626 Public domain photograph of industrial building, landscape, architecture, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
A LMAL carpenter prepares full scale wings for flight research, 1920. Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication (page 36), by James Schultz. Published in Engineer in Charge, NAS More
NASA Identifier: S73-30627 Public domain photograph of the history of NASA, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Lockheed Vega Air Express. Frank M. Hawks broke transcontinental speed record in this plane. It was the first production aircraft with the NACA cowling, 1929. NASA Identifier: L3271
Model of the XN2Y-1 for testing in 15-Foot Spin Tunnel. This was one of two balsa wood models (the other was a 1/12-scale model of the F4B-2) for initial testing and calibration of the new tunnel. Researchers w More
Boeing F3B-1: While most Boeing F3B-1s served aboard the U. S. Navy aircraft carriers Lexington and Saratoga, this example flew in NACA hands at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in the late 1920's. More
A map of the Hampton Roads area from the late 1930s. the James River Bridge was completed in the late 1920s. NASA Identifier: L36943
Dr. Hugh Latimer Dryden, had many titles after his name in his lifetime. In 1949 he became the director of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Dr. Dryden received many accolades and awards b More
Either a F2B-1 or F3B-1, both aircraft were built by Boeing and both were powered by Pratt and Whitney Wasp engines. These fighters were intended for Navy shipboard use. Boeing F3B-1: While most Boeing F3B-1s s More
Installation of Careystone covering at the Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) facility. The corrugated concrete and asbestos panels (1/4 inch thick; 42 inches wide; 62 inches long) which were used as siding and roofing fo More
The LMAL flight crew installs an experimental low-drag cowling on the Fokker Trimotor, 1929. Photograph published in Engineer in Charge: A History of the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory, 1917-1958 by James R. H More
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)'s first wind tunnel,Located at Langley Field in Hampton,VA,was an open-circuit wind tunnel completed in 1920. Essentially a replica of the ten-year-old tun More
Meeting of the NACA main committee in the NACA conference room, Washington D. C., 1920. (from right to left) Charles D. Wolcott, Joseph S. Ames, William F. Durand. Fourth from left is Orville Wright. At the cha More
Melvin N. Gough started his NACA career in the Propeller Research Tunnel. After taking flight training and becoming a reserve navy pilot in the late 1920s he transferred from the PRT to the flight test section. More
Digging the channel for the Tow Tank. In the late 1920s, the NACA decided to investigate the aero/hydro dynamics of floats for seaplanes. A Hydrodynamics Branch was established in 1929 and special towing basin More
Vikers Viking Amphibian - biplane: Initially procured in 1921 by the U.S. Navy during their studies of foreign designs, the Vickers Viking IV became NACA 17 during its short period of study at Langley. NASA Ide More
Engineer David L. Bacon and physicist Frederick H. Norton, escorted Orville Wright, in hat, around the laboratory during his visit in July 1922. To the right is George Lewis. NASA Identifier: L1767
The hero of most NACA engineers was Orville Wright. NASA Identifier: L226
The Variable Density Tunnel in operation. Variable Density Tunnel 1923. NASA Identifier: L463
Boeing PW-9 Army pursuit aircraft. First produced in about 1924. NASA Identifier: L6451
AWARD PHOTOS - ADMINISTRATION STAFF NASA Identifier: C-1986-1924 Public domain photograph of politician, meeting, government and politics, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description
Installing the U.S.A. 35B airfoil test section for testing in the Variable-Density Tunnel(VDT). The VDT Log Book entry for January 3, 1925 notes that this airfoil was installed "for a test with the new big stre More
Fire gutted interior of Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT). On August 1, 1927 a major fire broke out inside the VDT. Clean-up, repair, redesign and reinstallation of equipment took about 8 months. From the Variable More
SPAD VII (Socitete Pour Aviation et des Derives): This SPAD VII, marked as NACA 10, flew at Langley from September 1922 until February 1925. NASA Identifier: L423
Model of Sperry Messenger (U.S.A. 5 airfoil) being tested inside the Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT). The tests were run in early January 1925. Testing was suspended on January 15th "until model and airplane coul More
Annual Conference, 1926: The annual industry conference grew from a small modest affair into a large, orchestrated pageant. At the first conference in 1926 this photo was taken on the steps of the administratio More
Sperry M-1 Messenger: The Army's Sperry M-1 Messenger tested variable-camber wings at Langley in 1926. NASA Identifier: L1313
Bee Line BR-1 Racer: The Bee Line BR-1 was a racing aircraft used to compete in the 1922 Pulitzer Air Race. The aircraft and its sister ship, the Bee Line BR-2, came to Langley and the NACA in 1926. The BR-1 is More
The city of Hampton was unable to supply adequate electric power to operate the PRT. Navy Captain Walter S. Diehl, Bureau of Aeronautics, acquired two 1000 hp submarine engines which were to be disposed of. BuA More
Boeing NB-1: Designed as a primary trainer for the U. S. Navy, the Boeing NB-1 was used by the NACA at Langley starting in October 1926. The float-quipped example used by the NACA was suspended from the NACA ha More
Modified Ford truck with a Huck starter, shown starting a Vought VE-7 in 1926. NASA Identifier: L1589
Equipment used for pressurizing the Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT): The VDT tunnel is on the right; the compressors are on the left. Figure 4 in the NACA Technical Report 227 (Part 2) identifies each piece of eq More
Sperry M-1 Messenger: The Sperry M-1 Messenger mounted for testing in the Propeller Research Tunnel, 1927. NASA Identifier: L2067
This Boeing PW-9 was built with strong tail surfaces and fuselage for the systematic investigation of pressure distribution. Although the PW-9 designation would seem to mark a military aircraft, the NACA Boeing More
Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis" equipped with 220 HP Wright Whirlwind engine. Charles A. Lindbergh flew this aircraft non-stop from New York to Paris in the period May 20-21 1927. Photographed in San Diego, Cali More
Langley administrative office in 1927. Note the blueprints on the table at right lower corner, and rubber stamp tree on the man's desk in left foreground. NASA Identifier: L2204
Construction of 5 Foot Vertical Wind Tunnel. The 5 Foot Vertical Wind Tunnel was built to study spinning characteristics of aircraft. It was an open throat tunnel capable of a maximum speed of 80 mph. NACA engi More
View of the interior of the exit cone of the Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT) during its brief period of operation as an open throat design. After the fire, the VDT section engineers decided to convert the tunnel More
In aviation's youth, instrument panels and controls were models of simplicity - at least compared with those of modern aircraft. The cockpit illustrated is a Fairchild FC-2W2 from 1928. Photograph published in More
Many of Langley Laboratory's early experiments focused on ways to reduce aircraft drag. One method was to place a cowling or covering over the engine cylinder heads, much like the hood over the engine of a car. More
Tunnel interior views of USS Los Angeles Airship. US Navy airship in flight. Tunnel installation set-up. The device mounted at the tower's apex made a turning radius measurement of the Navy Dirigible U.S.S. Los More
Schematic drawing of 5-Foot Vertical Wind Tunnel. Carl Wenzinger and Thomas Harris describe the tunnel in NACA TR No. 387: "The tunnel has an open jet, an open test chamber, and a closed return passage. ... The More
Army Curtis Hawk with NACA cowling. This Curtiss AT-5A is equipped to test a NACA cowling, November 1928. It was the work done on the NACA cowling which brought Langley the Collier Trophy in 1929. Although carr More
Pile driving for foundation of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST). In 1924, George Lewis, Max Munk and Fred Weick began to discuss an idea for a wind tunnel large enough to test a full-scale propeller. Munk sketched out a More
Standing on the PRT balance are five of the six men who comprised the majority of the PRT engineering staff in 1928. From left to right: Fred Weick, Ray Windler, William H. Herrnstein, Jr., John L. Crigler, and More
This diagram, based on a LMAL drawing from 1928, illustrates the Lab's plan for correcting the turbulent airflow that had plagued the original Variable Density Tunnel. Notice in particular the change from open- More
Installation of Full Scale Tunnel (FST) power plant. Virginia Public Service Company could not supply adequate electricity to run the wind tunnels being built at Langley. (The Propeller Research Tunnel was powe More
Model of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) under construction. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel . "The excellent energy ratio obtai More
Model of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) under construction. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy ratio obtain More
Interior view of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) model. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy ratio obtained in More
Test of 4" x 20" Clark-Y airfoil model in Full-Scale Tunnel (FST). On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energ More
Aerial and ground views of the overall construction of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) and the Seaplane Tow Channel. In November 1929, Smith DeFrance submitted his recommendations for the general design of the Full Sca More
The Main Committe of the NACA met in Washington,D.C., twice a year, the annual meeting being held in October and the semiannual meeting in April. Among the matters discussed at this semiannual meeting on 18 Apr More
Naval Aircraft Factory (Curtiss) H-16: The Naval Aircraft Factory H-16 flying boat, seen here on a beaching dolly on the Langley seaplane ramp, was one of 150 built by the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia More
Construction of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST): 120-Foot Truss hoisting, one and two point suspension. In November 1929, Smith DeFrance submitted his recommendations for the general design of the Full Scale Wind Tunne More
In this photo taken on March 15, 1929, a quartet of NACA staff conduct tests on airfoils in the Variable Density Tunnel, which, in 1985, was declared a National Historic Landmark. l to r Eastman Jacobs, Shorty More
Doyle O-2 Oriole: The parasol-winged Doyle O-2 Oriole monoplane was flown by the NACA at Langley starting in 1929. The O-2 designation was not a military type number, but rather a company designation. The Oriol More
Modified propeller and spinner in Full-Scale Tunnel (FST) model. On June 26, 1929, Elton W. Miller wrote to George W. Lewis proposing the construction of a model of the full-scale tunnel. "The excellent energy More
Among the famous visitors to NACA facilities: Fred E. Weick, head of the Propeller Research Tunnel section from 1925-1929, in the rear cockpit; aviator Charles Lindbergh, in front cockpit; and Tom Hamilton, avi More
In 1922, at NASA Langley Research Center, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautic (NACA), completed the Variable Density Tunnel (VDT), the world's first wind tunnel in which air pressures could be varied More
Construction of Full-Scale Tunnel (FST). In November 1929, Smith DeFrance submitted his recommendations for the general design of the Full Scale Wind Tunnel. The last on his list concerned the division of labor More
Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator: This Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator was acquired for one month in late 1938 from NAS Anacostia, Washington, D. C. Anacostia was the source of many of the naval aircraft flown by the NACA, in More
Construction progress, aerials of East Area. L5169: Langley's seaplane towing facility (right) and the Full Scale Tunnel (left) were photographed in November of 1930. Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75 More
Schematic diagram of Variable-Density Tunnel (VDT) - open throat design. Eastman Jacobs and Ira Abbott note in NACA TR 416 (p. 305) that a serious fire destroyed the tunnel (not the steel shell) in August 1927. More
The Lockheed Electra shown here was of the same vintage as the Douglas DC-2, DC-3 series, but was smaller and carried only about ten passengers. Amelia Earhart was flying an Electra when she was lost in the Pac More
Curtiss XBFC-1 (XF11C-1) Goshawk: The NACA equipped the Navy's Curtis XBFC-1 fighter-bomber with an experimental nose-slot cowling for ground testing in October 1937. Measurements of the XBFC-1's cockpit field More
Construction of the wood frame for the Two-Dimensional Low-Turbulence Tunnel. The Two-Dimensional Low-Turbulence Tunnel was originally called the Refrigeration or "Ice" tunnel because it was intended to support More