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Old 04-13-2012, 06:15 PM   #310 (permalink)
aerohead
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side wind

Quote:
Originally Posted by drmiller100 View Post
for the sides, the real number is 22 degrees minus side winds.

I don't think 22 degree sides is realistic in the real world IMO.

The top of the car is not affected by side winds.
If an auto maker wants to brag they'll quote the zero-degree drag coefficient.Some companies test for yaw and report a crosswind-averaged Cd.
In 1987,the Arivett Brothers designed a streamlined Top Fuel dragster which had Cd 0.20 at zero-degrees and Cd 0.18 at 12-degrees of yaw.The best funny cars of the day were measuring at around Cd 0.60.
I'll be posting some 'streamlined' cars of the past,soon I hope,and you'll see that some were designed for plan-view,with fineness ratios which would mimic a streamlined section,rather than a streamlined body of revolution.
A section of 3.92:1 has the lowest drag,so the boat tail angles are more generous.
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