Honeycomb Sandwich Construction for Supersonic Aircraft: A Survey of Materials and Methods for High Duty Sandwich Construction

Abstract

Sandwich construction with aluminium honeycomb cores bonded to faces with the adhesive films Redux 775, 775R and Bloomingdale FM‐47 is discussed. Drawings showing its applications to a series of components for various hypothetical aircraft arc included. Sandwich materials for supersonic aircraft of the types now entering production are reviewed, as well as the application techniques of the new Redux films. Some rules gathered from experience for the design of components with honeycomb cores, and solutions of special design problems with hypothetical wing panels, are treated. The paper then deals fairly fully with results from a programme of FFA investigations on this type of structure. The specimens discussed were bonded with Redux 775 and FM‐47 and consisted partly of tensile tests on cores, compressive tests on sandwich columns and shear tests on various sandwich webs. Design curves have been plotted in some cases. Further results are presented showing the influence of temperature on the shear strength of an aluminium alloy core and Redux 775 and FM‐47 films. Also a few creep results are given where the object of the tests has been to determine the optimum curing temperature and time for applying Redux 775 to yield minimum creep values. The room‐temperature results illustrate the excellent properties of honeycomb structures and the elevated‐temperature results indicate that bonded uninsulated aluminium sandwiches can be retained, even when the temperature due to kinetic heating approaches 70 deg. C. Finally, some remarks regarding future developments are made on various new ‘temperature‐resistant’ adhesives and on combinations of various materials for sandwich panels with external insulation, suitable for certain types of the next breed of supersonic aircraft.

Citation

Noton, B.R. (1957), "Honeycomb Sandwich Construction for Supersonic Aircraft: A Survey of Materials and Methods for High Duty Sandwich Construction", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 13-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb032782