An experimental investigation of the Magnus effect on a seven caliber tangent-ogive-cylinder model in supersonic flow is reported. The effects of surface spin, angle of attack and Mach number on boundary-layer transition have been studied using spark shadowgraphs of the flow. These shadowgraphs were taken while the model was mounted on offset struts to enable views to be obtained of the flow completely about the circumference of the model. The Magnus and normal forces were measured using the strain-gage balance technique for different boundary layer configurations. These measurements revealed a substantial sensitivity of Magnus force to the boundary layer configuration. A preliminary comparison of the Magnus measurements to the theory of Vaughn and Reis yielded poor agreement. The data have been tabulated to facilitate their use in the evaluation of proposed theoretical models of the Magnus effect.

Streamwise velocity profiles of a laminar boundary layer were determined from pitot pressure measurements made in a supersonic wind tunnel on a spinning tangent ogive cylinder at zero and four degrees angle of attack. A transformation was found which transforms the velocity profiles to be in agreement with the incompressible Blasius profile.