Influences of Sting Support on Aerodynamic Loads Acting on Captive Store Models

Abstract : In a series of wind tunnel tests, measurements were made of the aerodynamic loads acting on eight different store configurations mounted in the external captive position on a one-twentieth-scale model of the F-4C aircraft. Store models included blunt and contoured afterbody shapes, stable and unstable designs, and large (one per pylon) and small (rack-mounted) configurations. The tests were conducted in an effort to evaluate sting effects on captive store loads. Sting effects were considered to consist of two contributions: the effect of altering the afterbody of a store to allow insertion of a sting, and the effect of the presence of the sting. Altering the afterbody of an unstable store influenced captive loads less than altering a stable configuration. It was also determined that the presence of a sting affected most the pitching and yawing moments.