Shell Oil Film Beyond the Speed of Sound Supersonic Jet Aircraft 48434 (1959)

Synopsis

This 1959 color educational film is actual footage mixed with animation to show how supersonic flight occurs. It is Part 3 of a series made by the Shell Film Unit and directed by Denis Segaller. Royal Air Force aircraft is used for the actual footage. Part 2 is reviewed with a diagram of transonic range and how subsonic and supersonic air flow moves around the aircraft (:45-1:05). The animation depicts the entirely supersonic air flow around a fighter plane. The Mach angle is shown for each increase in Mach speed (1:08-2:29). A pencil tip held in fast-moving water depicts how air flow is only affected inside the wave from the tip (2:30-2:41). The animation depicts this supersonic point (2:43-3:12). A wind tunnel shockwave is depicted off the plane tip and then explained using a diagram (3:13-3:47). This change from supersonic to subsonic is depicted using a wind-up cow that walks down a slanted board to a level board and then diagrammed (3:48-5:44). A wing section with a sharp curve is depicted to show how as speed increases, the pressure falls after the curve, known as expansion. The angles are depicted in detail (5:46-8:00). Footage of air flow in action is shown in a smoke tunnel, showing why sharp corners on supersonic aircraft must be avoided (8:02-8:25). A thin flat plate wing section depicts air flow and pressure (8:44-9:42). A missile with a double-wedge wing is shown (9:48). The wind tunnel flow on this wing shape is shown at Mach 1.8, followed by an animated…

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Details

Running time

18 minutes

Collection

Ephemeral Films

Subjects on the Internet Archive

• Stock Footage