German experimentation with low Cd automobiles in the 1930's

[basjoos]

Originally Posted by cfg83

basjoos -



I never thought of this. This is good to know for strategic aero-testing.

CarloSW2

If you want to quantify the potential mileage improvement, you can mount an airspeed indicator pitot tube just ahead of the nose of your car to determine what airspeed your car is experiencing while drafting (you'd need to try it in several locations to get the average airspeed experienced by the front of your car). Then, for example, if the drafting airspeed is half your ground speed (assuming no winds), the mileage you get while drafting at that airspeed is the mileage you would get if you halved your Cd from its current value.

[roverdriver]

While German designers were looking at streamlining in the 1930's, so were manufacturers in other countries. Look at a Chrysler Airflow of the 1930's in the USA or the Rover Speed 6 in the UK for just two examples.

[orange4boy]

Just found this shot of the schlor car in the wind tunnel:



And this one with a nice prop attached. Ohh the pain...

[Christ]

That prop needs a kilt.

Unfortunately, the average armchair aerodynamicist would think that the prop were mounted on the leading edge of the car, and complain of visibility issues.

[orange4boy]

Yeah, LOL.

Or some might think, OMG, it's early evidence of a perpetual motion car. Generator produces electricity as you drive. No wonder the car "disappeared" <knowing wink>

[NeilBlanchard]

Those are totally awesome new pictures! How did you find them?

It had doors on both sides. Notice the tufts near the bottom behind the rear wheels -- they are blowing upward.

[Edit: This site has some (unsubstantiated) info:

In addition to the Kdf Wagen that Hitler/Porsche designed for the German public, AVA and Dipl-Ing Schlor came up with the Schlowagen by 1936 which was wind tunnel tested:



The original AVA wind tunnel tested streamlined car achieved a drag
coefficient of 0.113 and was actually due for production in 1939. But
the war stopped that plan and instead it lay in storage for a few
years until someone decided to make it into some form of prop-driven
snow vehicle for Russia. However, it was sent to Finland instead and
experimented with before it returned to Germany before May 1945 and
was seized by the British in their zone and supposedly taken back to
London where it might still reside somewhere!!!

Prop version:

Here's the lofting line drawing from Hucho:

This is close, but there are some inaccuracies: there is no pillar at the center of the windshield, and the dimension for the height should be just on the body (I think).

[Christ]

Has anyone ever considered making a car out of the fusilage of a small heli-chopper? (Or building the same from plans for a heli-chopper, which can be had much cheaper.)

[NeilBlanchard]

I found another picture of the Schlörwagen "Pillbug" here:



That site also has a better resolution picture with the propeller -- it had a fender bender:

See the missing paint and the bent 'A' pillar on the nearside front...
Also, the fresh air intake is open in this shot.

Another page (in German) that has some additional pictures!

http://www.meinklassiker.com/de/maga...ichte/2/1/2086

It loads very slowly...



Score!

[NeilBlanchard]

Mega-Score!

100 Years - Untersuchungen an Autos und Gebäuden

Google for "Schlörwagen"

[Frank Lee]

That thing rules