A Short History of Airfoils

Friday, September 25, 2009 at 08:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The NACA 23012 airfoil, possibly the most widely used of all time, was designed in 1935 by NACA Langley researcher Eastman Jacobs.
It is renowned for its combination of desirable characteristics including high lift, low drag, and mild pitching moments.
The airfoil also featured a unique aspect of laminar flow on its lower surface, contributing to its efficiency.

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Possibly the most widely used airfoil of all time, the NACA 23012 combined high lift, low drag, mild pitching moments, and even a bit of laminar flow on its lower surface. It was designed in 1935 by NACA Langley researcher Eastman Jacobs.

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