National Historic Landmark

Variable Density Tunnel

Hampton (Independent City), Hampton County, Virginia
Listed
October 2, 1985
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85002795

About this property

The Variable Density Tunnel (VDT) was the second wind tunnel at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Langley Research Center. Proposed by German aerospace engineer, Max Munk, student of Ludwig Prandtl, it was the world's first variable density wind tunnel and allowed for more accurate testing of small-scale models than could be obtained with atmospheric wind tunnels. The VDT was actively used as a wind tunnel from 1923 until its retirement in the 1940s. Langley Research Center historian, James R. Hansen, wrote that the VDT provided results superior to the atmospheric wind tunnels used at the time and was responsible for making NACA, the precursor to NASA, "a world leader in aerodynamic research". It is now a National Historic Landmark and is on display on the Langley grounds, near the old Reid Conference Center.

Location

Hampton (Independent City), Hampton County, Virginia
37.07880, -76.34382

Categories

OTHERENGINEERINGSCIENCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Eight-Foot High Speed Tunnel
Industrial
0.3 mi
Full Scale Tunnel
Industrial
0.3 mi
NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Historic District
Listed
1.8 mi
Rendezvous Docking Simulator
Listed
1.9 mi
Lunar Landing Research Facility
Industrial
3 mi

Nearby Battles

Big Bethel Battle (June 10, 1861)
1861Civil War
2.1 mi
Big Bethel
1861Civil War
2.1 mi
Battle of Big Bethel
1861Civil War
2.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Variable Density Tunnel listed on the National Register?

Variable Density Tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 2, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Variable Density Tunnel?

Variable Density Tunnel is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Variable Density Tunnel a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Variable Density Tunnel has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Variable Density Tunnel?

The period of significance for Variable Density Tunnel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Variable Density Tunnel?

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