Study of the damping characteristics of sectional flight vehicles of different length

The dependence of the damping characteristics of axisymmetric tri-sectional flight vehicles executing plane oscillations about the zero angle of attack on their geometric parameters is investigated on the supersonic range of uniform oncoming air flow Mach numbers. Systematic data are obtained using the least laborious approach, namely, by calculating the steady-state inviscid flow past equivalent bodies determined from the principle of the local similarity of force interaction. Ranges of the vehicle design parameters on which the dependence of the damping moment coefficient in pitch on the length of the conical or cylindrical-conical stabilizer of the vehicle is nonmonotonic are found. Typical viscosity effects on the characteristics under study are estimated using a method based on the assumptions of the linear theory for finite-thickness bodies. It is established that the damping coefficient increases monotonically with decreasing Reynolds number; moreover, even transition to oscillation antidumping regimes is possible when the sign of the damping coefficient changes.