Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434) 560 Drillfield Drive Newman Library, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 Business Number: 540-231-6308 specref@vt.edu URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu
Alexandra Dowrey, Graduate Assistant, and Kira A. Dietz, Archivist
Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Identification
Ms.1987.007
Title
William J. Alford, Jr., Papers 1951-1988
Quantity
0.6 Cubic Feet, 2 boxes
Creator
Alford, William J., Jr., 1924-2010
Creator
Polhamus, Edward C. (Edward Charles), 1923-2001
Language
The materials in the collection are in English.
Abstract
Spanning from 1951-1988, the William J. Alford, Jr., Papers contains NACA and NASA research memoranda and reports; publication
drafts; a Langley working paper with associated research notes and patent details; correspondence; award certificates; AIAA
(American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics) conference programs; and personnel papers pertaining to William J. Alford's
career as an aeronautical engineer. A detailed schematic drawing of "the variable sweep wing configuration tested in the
high-speed 7- by 10- foot tunnel" is also included.
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University
Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization
form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition
form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with
forms or to submit a completed form.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder],
William J. Alford, Jr., Papers, Ms1987-007, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
This collection was donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1987.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the William J. Alford, Jr., Papers was completed in April 2013.
William J. Alford, Jr. (1924-2010) graduated from Granby High School in 1942. During World War II, he served in the United
States Marine Corps as a dive-bomber pilot. In June 1949, Alford graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) with
a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering. He continued graduate work in Aerospace Engineering at VPI from 1959-1960.
He worked as an engineer at NACA-NASA Langley (1949-1980), served as head of the Advanced Transport Technology Program (1970-1975),
and held the position of manager of the Energy Efficient Transport Office (1976-1979). Alford also served as the head of the
Advanced Military Technology Office (1979-1980). Alford and Edward C. Polhamus own the patent for the Variable Sweep Wing
Configuration (1962).
The collection contains NACA and NASA research memoranda and reports, publication drafts, research notes and patent details
for the variable-sweep wing design, correspondence, award certificates, AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics)
conference programs, and personnel file papers pertaining to William J. Alford's career as an aeronautical engineer. Also
included are a Langley working paper, with associated variable-sweep research notes and patent details, and a detailed schematic
drawing, of "the variable sweep wing configuration tested in the high-speed 7- by 10- foot tunnel." These materials date from
1951 to 1988.
Some related materials may appear in separate folders. For example, awards and correspondence are also included in the biographical
and career information file. Additionally, some personnel file papers, especially many of those in the biographical and career
information file, contain photocopies in the place of the original documents.
Series I: Papers, arranged by material type, contains papers that date from 1958 to 1988. This series includes award certificates,
correspondence, personnel file papers, conference programs, and research notes and material related to the variable-sweep
wing patent. Some papers relating to Alford's career had been previously arranged; these materials and their ordering are
maintained in the "Biographical and Career Information" file.
Series II: Publications, arranged chronologically, comprises NACA, NASA, RAND, United States Air Force Project RAND, NATO
Advisory Group for Aeronautical Research and Development, and NASP publications. These documents range from 1951 to 1987.
NACA and NASA publications form the majority of this series. Most publications list Alford as an author.
Spreemann, Kenneth P., and Alford, William J., Jr.: Investigation of the Effects of Geometric Changes in an Underwing Pylon-Suspended
External-Store Installation on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of a 45 Degree Sweptback Wing at High Subsonic Speeds. NACA
RM L50L12, 1951.
Spreemann, Kenneth P., and Alford, William J., Jr.: Investigation of the Effects of Twist and Camber on the Aerodynamic Characteristics
of a 50 Degree 38' Sweptback Wing of Aspect Ratio 2.98. Transonic-Bump Method. NACA RM L51C16, 1951.
Alford, William J., Jr., and Byrnes, Andrew L., Jr.: Small-Scale Transonic Investigation of the Effects of Partial-Span Leading-Edge
Camber on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of a 50 Degree 38' Sweptback Wing of Aspect Ratio 2.98. NACA RM L52D08a, 1952.
box-folder 1 folder: 8
NACA Publications
1952-1954Bibliography
Spreemann, Kenneth P., and Alford, William J., Jr.: Small-Scale Transonic Investigation of the Effects of Full-Span and Partial-Span
Leading-Edge Flaps on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of a 50 Degree 38' Sweptback Wing of Aspect Ratio 2.98. NACA RM L52E12,
1952.
Alford, William J., Jr.: Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Static Longitudinal Stability Characteristics of a 0.15-Scale Model
of the Hermes A-1E2 Missile at High Subsonic Mach Numbers. NACA RM SL52I10, 1952.
Alford, William J., Jr., and Spreemann, Kenneth P.: Small-Scale Transonic Investigation of a 45 Degree Sweptback Wing of Aspect
Ratio 4 with Combinations of Nose-Flap Deflections and Wing Twist. NACA RM L52K13, 1953.
Spreemann, Kenneth P., and Alford, William J., Jr.: Investigation of the Effects of Leading-Edge Chord-Extensions and Fences
in Combination with Leading-Edge Flaps on the Aerodynamic Characteristics at Mach Numbers from 0.40 to 0.93 of a 45 Degree
Sweptback Wing of Aspect Ratio 4. NACA RM L53A09a, 1953.
Alford, William J., Jr., and Pasteur, Thomas B., Jr.: The Effects of Changes in Aspect Ratio and Tail Height on the Longitudinal
Stability Characteristics at High Subsonic Speeds of a Model with a Wing Having 32.6 Degrees Sweepback. NACA RM L53L09, 1954.
box-folder 1 folder: 9
NACA Publications
1954-1955Bibliography
Silvers, H. Norman, King, Thomas J., Jr., and Alford, William J.: Wind-Tunnel Investigation at High Subsonic Speeds of the
Effects of Wing-Mounted External Stores on the Loading and Aerodynamic Characteristics in Pitch of a 45 Degree Sweptback Wing
Combined with a Fuselage. NACA RM L54A21, 1954.
Silvers, H. Norman, and Alford, William J., Jr.: Investigation at High Subsonic Speeds of the Effect of Adding Various Combinations
of Missiles on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Sweptback and Unswept Wings Combined with a Fuselage. NACA RM L54D20, 1954.
Alford, William J., Jr.: Experimental Static Aerodynamic Forces and Moments at Low Speed on a Canard Missile during Simulated
Launching from the Midsemispan and Wing-Tip Locations of a 45 Degree Sweptback Wing-Fuselage Combination. NACA RM L55A12,
1955.
Sleeman, William C., Jr., and Alford, William J., Jr.: Low-Speed Investigation of the Effects of Wing Tanks and Speed Brakes
on the Static Stability of a Model Having a 40 Degree Swept Wing. NACA RM L55C17, 1955.
box-folder 1 folder: 10
NACA Publications
1955-1957Bibliography
Alford, William J., Jr., Silvers, H. Norman, and King, Thomas J., Jr.: Experimental Static Aerodynamic Forces and Moments
at Low Speed on a Missile Model During Simulated Launching from the 25-Percent-Semispan and Wing-Tip Locations of a 45 Degree
Sweptback Wing-Fuselage Combination. NACA RM L55D20, 1955.
Alford, William J., Jr.: Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Subsonic-Flow Fields Beneath Swept and Unswept
Wings with Tables of Vortex-Induced Velocities. NACA TN 3738.
Alford, William J., Jr., and King, Thomas J., Jr.: Experimental Static Aerodynamic Forces and Moments at High Subsonic Speeds
on a Missile Model during Simulated Launching from the Midsemispan Location of a 45 Degree Sweptback Wing-Fuselage-Pylan Combination.
NACA RM L56J05, 1957.
box-folder 2 folder: 1
NACA Publications
1957Bibliography
Alford, William J., Jr., and King, Thomas J., Jr.: Experimental Investigation of Flow Fields at Zero Sideslip Near Swept-
and Unswept-Wing-Fuselage Combinations at Low Speed. NACA RM L56J19, 1957.
Alford, William J., Jr., and King, Thomas J., Jr.: Experimental Static Aerodynamic Forces and Moments at High Subsonic Speeds
on a Missile Model During Simulated Launching from Unswept-, Sweptback-, and Modified-Delta-Wing-Fuselage Combinations at
Zero Sideslip. NACA RM L57B04, 1957.
Alford, William J., Jr., and King, Thomas J., Jr.: Experimental Investigation of Effects of Moderate Sideslip on the Flow
Fields Near a 45 Degree Swept-Wing-Fuselage Combination at Low Speed. NACA RM L57E10, 1957.
box-folder 2 folder: 2
NASA Publications
1958-1960Bibliography
Alford, William J., Jr.: Some Effects of Horizontal-Tail Position on the Vertical-Tail Pressure Distributions of a Complete
Model in Sideslip at High Subsonic Speeds. NASA Memo. 10-5-58L, 1958.
Alford, William J., Jr., and Henderson, William P.: An Exploratory Investigation of the Low-Speed Aerodynamic Characteristics
of Variable-Wing-Sweep Airplane Configurations. NASA TM X-142, 1959.
Bielat, Ralph P., Robins, A. Warner, and Alford, William J., Jr.: The Transonic Aerodynamic Characteristics of Two Variable-Sweep
Airplane Configurations Capable of Low-Level Supersonic Attack. NASA TM X-304, 1960.
box-folder 2 folder: 3
NASA Publications
1960-1981Bibliography
Bielat, Ralph P., and Pierpont, P. Kenneth: Transonic Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Variable-Sweep Airplane Configuration
Having a 12-Percent-Thick Wing and an Inboard Pivot Location. NASA TM X-429, 1960.
Alford, William J., Jr.: Subsonic Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Errors Indicated by Total-Pressure Tubes in the Flow Field
of a Body Simulating the Nose of the X-15 Research Airplane. NASA TN D-1250, 1962.
Nicks, Oran W., Whitehead, Allen H., and Alford, William J., Jr.: An Outlook for Cargo Aircraft of the Future. NASA TM X-72796,
1975.
Polhamus, Edward C., and Toll, Thomas A.: Research Related to Variable Sweep Aircraft Development. NASA TM 83121, 1981.
box-folder 2 folder: 4
Other Publications
1963-1987Bibliography
Toll, T. A., Polhamus, E. C., and Aiken, W. S., Jr.: NASA Variable-Geometry Research. NATO: Advisory Group for Aeronautical
Research and Development Report 447, 1963.
Perry, Robert L.: Innovation and Military Requirements: A Comparative Study. RAND RM-5182-PR, 1967.
Reed, Wilmer H., III., Hanson, Perry W., and Alford, W. J., Jr.: Assessment of Flutter Model Testing Relating to the National
Aero-Space Plane. NASP Contractor Report 1002, 1987.
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