Shutting This Wind Tunnel Should Be a Breeze, but Its Fans Won't Be Silent
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125124533797458837.html
That tunnel is second only to Wrights in the importance of history. To tear it down would be inexcusible.
NASA (then called the NACA) bought their first aircraft, a Fairchild FC-2W2, to validate the results in the tunnel against real life measurements. Here is that Fairchild in the Langley tunnel, the person standing on the platform gives you an idea of how big it is.
The Fairchild is with us today; althought painted a different color by it's later owners. It would be a shame it if outlived the tunnel is was purchased to test.
There are some steam pumping stations and other sites that are currently being preserved, even though they have limited or no use any more, but are off-limits to visitors due to their site location. If all they are going to do is put a parking lot there (hope no cars on it when it floods), then it is even more of a travesty to tear it down.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125124533797458837.html
That tunnel is second only to Wrights in the importance of history. To tear it down would be inexcusible.
NASA (then called the NACA) bought their first aircraft, a Fairchild FC-2W2, to validate the results in the tunnel against real life measurements. Here is that Fairchild in the Langley tunnel, the person standing on the platform gives you an idea of how big it is.
The Fairchild is with us today; althought painted a different color by it's later owners. It would be a shame it if outlived the tunnel is was purchased to test.
There are some steam pumping stations and other sites that are currently being preserved, even though they have limited or no use any more, but are off-limits to visitors due to their site location. If all they are going to do is put a parking lot there (hope no cars on it when it floods), then it is even more of a travesty to tear it down.