1947 Lewis Inspection
The first Inspection at the Cleveland laboratory, held in October 1947, emphasized issues pertaining to post-war development of the turbojet engine.
1950 Ames Inspection
The July 1950 biennial Inspection at the Ames Laboratory’s took place shortly after the onset of the Korean War and signaled the beginning of the NACA’s transition into missile and rocket research.
Overview
The 1950 biennial Inspection of the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory was held on July 10 to 12. Identical programs were planned for each of the 3 days. On the 12th, most of the guests were students in the military academies and, on July 13, Ames employees were invited tour the facilities and see the presentations. A public open house planned for July 16th was cancelled because of the “international situation.” Two weeks before, on June 27, the United Nations launched a police action in response to the invasion of South Korea by troops from the North. Last-minute cancellations reduced total registrations at the Inspection to 666 guests. NACA chairman Jerome Hunsaker opened the Inspection by noting: “even though we are a civilian agency of the Government, we are much concerned with national security.”
Russell Robinson organized the flow of the presentations: “Our product is not aircraft, engines, or missiles, not even experimental or research aircraft, engines or missiles. NACA uses these but only as a means to an end…the research job is not finished until the results are analyzed, a satisfactory explanation obtained regarding the controlling factors, conclusions drawn that will assist designers in general, and the whole accurately reported.” Technical papers useful to any and all aircraft designers, as summarized in the Inspection presentations, were the product of the NACA.
Although the speeches were still presented in 10 of Ames’ most prominent facilities, some of which operated during the talks, the speeches focused on research topics rather than the facilities themselves. Topics focused on the problems of supersonic flight: high-speed research on high-speed wings, low-speed research on high-speed wings, airfoil and body interactions, propellers, air inlets, dynamic stability, aeroelasticity and loads, buffeting, and research at high supersonic speeds and at higher supersonic speeds (meaning missiles at hypersonic speeds). The star at this Inspection was Ames’ new supersonic free-flight tunnel, designed by Harvey Allen’s branch to reach low hypersonic speeds, and Ames researchers formally addressed how they expected to someday open up flight in the hypersonic regime.
Guest Materials
- Ames Inspection Brochure (1950)
- Agenda and Inspection Schedule (1950)
- Participants Photos (1950)
- Luncheon Materials (1950)
Introductions
- Summary of Ames Inspection Activities (1950)
- First Day Introductory Talks (1950)
- Second Day Introductory Talks (1950)
Presentations
- Low-Speed Research on High-Speed Wings (1950)
- Airfoil-body Combinations Talk (1950)
- Propellers Talk at 12-foot Tunnel (1950)
- Air Inlets Talk at 1-By 3-Foot Tunnel (1950)
- Dynamic Stability Speeches (1950)
- Aeroelasticity and Loads Talk (1950)
- Buffeting Talk at 16-Foot Tunnel (1950)
- Research at High Supersonic Speeds (1950)
- Research at Higher Supersonic Speeds (1950)
Media Materials
Logistics
- Lists of Inspection Attendees (1950)
- Visiting Aircraft (1950)
- Correspondence with Guests (1950)
- Inspection Planning Materials (1950)
See Other Inspections
1948 Ames Inspection
The July 1948 Inspection at the Ames Laboratory highlighted the facility’s new wind tunnels and work on heat transfer and aircraft control systems.
1948 Lewis Inspection
During the September 1948 Inspection, the NACA renamed its Cleveland laboratory in honor of the recently deceased George W. Lewis.
1949 Langley Inspection
Langley’s biennial Inspection in May 1949 featured its recent work in high-speed aerodynamics, particularly in the transonic stage.
1949 Lewis Inspection
At the September 1949 Inspection, the NACA unveiled Lewis’ recently completed 8-by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel and a new style of presenting the technical information in a more understandable manner.
1950 Ames Inspection
The July 1950 biennial Inspection at the Ames Laboratory’s took place shortly after the onset of the Korean War and signaled the beginning of the NACA’s transition into missile and rocket research.
1951 Langley Inspection
Langley’s 1951 biennial Inspection addressed tools necessary for transonic research and efforts to transition from manual data computations to mechanical and digital computers.
1952 Ames Inspection
Increasing Cold War security concerns led to a reduction of technical information on display during the July 1952 Inspection at Ames.
1953 Langley Inspection
The Langley Laboratory featured its helicopter research during the biennial Inspection in May 1953.
1954 Lewis Inspection
The Lewis Laboratory’s June 1954 Inspection emphasized the NACA’s role in the Cold War, while demonstrating the new Propulsion Systems Laboratory and its growing rocket research.
1955 Ames Inspection
The talks at the June 1955 Inspection of the Ames Laboratory revealed that the more advanced aircraft of the future required the same type of NACA research as previous generations.
1956 Lewis Inspection
The May 1956 Inspection was dedicated entirely to the Lewis Laboratory’s new Unitary Plan Tunnel (the 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel).
1957 Lewis Inspection
The October 1957 Inspection at the Lewis Laboratory ushered the NACA into the space age and signaled the beginning of the end for the agency.
1958 Ames Inspection
The July 1958 Inspection at Ames was both the laboratory’s final Inspection and the final Inspection of the NACA era.
1964 Langley Inspection
NASA’s first Inspection, held at Langley in May 1964, emphasized the role the former NACA labs were playing in the new Office of Advanced Research and Technology (OART).
1966 Lewis Inspection
Lewis Research Center held an Inspection in October 1966 to mark its 25th anniversary and demonstrate both its space research and resurgent aeropropulsion work.
1973 Lewis Inspection
NASA’s final Inspection, held at Lewis in September 1973, sought to demonstrate a wide variety a civilian applications for NASA technology.