General Description

The primary aerodynamic testing facility is the F. K. Kirsten Wind Tunnel. Opened for testing in 1939, the Kirsten Wind Tunnel is of concrete and brick construction. It is a double-return, closed circuit wind tunnel. The test section has a rectangular cross-section eight feet high, twelve feet wide and ten feet long, with fillets in the corners. The test section is vented to the atmosphere and can be viewed from all sides. Two 500-hp dc motors drive two 14 feet 9 inches diameter, seven-blade fans to provide the test section with airspeeds of 200 MPH for a typical-sized wind tunnel model. The tunnel is capable of airspeeds of 250 MPH with a clean test section. See Figure 1 .

Figure 1: View of the Kirsten Wind Tunnel Building