MEASUREMENTS OF SONIC BOOMS GENERATED BY AN AIRPLANE FLYING AT MACH 3.5 AND 4.8

摘要

Sonic booms generated by the X-15 airplane flying at Mach numbers of 3.5 and 4.8 were measured. The experimental results agreed within 12 percent with results obtained from theoretical methods. No unusual phenomena related to over¬pressure were encountered. Scaled data from the X-15 airplane for Mach 4.8 agreed with data for an SR-71 airplane operating at lower Mach numbers and similar altitudes. The simple tech¬nique used to scale the data on the basis of airplane lift was satisfactory for comparing X-15 and SR-71 sonic boom signa¬tures.