Flying Wind Tunnel - Number One (silent)

Since “wall effect” makes certain wind tunnel testing impractical, researchers at Princeton University came up with the idea of using an airship to perform slow-speed testing on the then-new technology of STOL and VTOL airplane models. The last remaining ZS2G-1. which still had the streamlining modifications from earlier efforts to have the airship reach 100 mph (canceled before mounting the stern propellor), was further modified to carry scientific equipment. An extendable boom with plane attached was mounted in the airships’ torpedo bay. While this film is labeled Report Number Two, we believe it is the only surviving film of this program. The late Professor Hazen, later of Embry-Riddle University, is seen mounting the ship via the stern ladder and operating the equipment.