An experimental investigation was made in the Mach number range from 1.60 to 2.86 to determine the static longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of close-coupled wing-canard configurations. Three canards, ranging in exposed planform area from 17.5 to 30.0 percent of the wing reference area, were employed in this investigation. The canards were either located in the plane of the wing or in a position 18.5 percent of the wing mean geometric chord above the wing plane. Most data obtained were for a model with a 60 deg leading-edge-sweep wing; however, a small amount of data were obtained for a 44 deg leading-edge-sweep wing. The model utilized two balances to isolate interference effects between wing and canard. In general, it was determined that at angle of attack for all configurations investigated with the canard in the plane of the wing an unfavorable interference exists which causes the additional lift on the canard generated by a canard deflection to be lost on the wing due to an increased downwash at the wing from the canard. Further, this interference decreased somewhat with increasing Mach number. Raising the canard above the plane of the wing also greatly decreased the interference of the canard deflection on the wing lift. However, at Mach 2.86 the presence of the canard in the high position had a greater unfavorable interference effect at high angles of attack than the canard in the wing plane. This interference resulted in the in-plane canard having better trimmed performance at Mach 2.86 for the same center-of-gravity location.

Experimental aerodynamic investigations were conducted at the CALSPAN Corporation's transonic wind tunnel to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of several nose-mounted canard wing configurations. Canard position, geometry, angular orientation, and model nose shape were varied systematically to determine their effects on model aerodynamics. Angle of attack was varied from -3 to 12 degrees and Mach number was varied from 0.6 to 1.25. Aerodynamic loads were measured separately for each of the four canards and tail surfaces, and the total model.