A Collection in Special Collections
Collection Number Ms2005-019
Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Contact Information: University Libraries P.O. Box 90001 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, Virginia 24062-9001 USA Phone: (540) 231-6308 Fax: (540) 231-3694 Email: specref@vt.edu URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu/
Processed by:
Katie Cox, Special Collections Student Assistant
2009 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
Repository
Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.
Collection Number
Ms2005-019
Title
William Hewitt Phillips Papers
1942-1994
Physical Characteristics
32 containers; 15.4 cu. ft.
Language
English
Abstract
Papers of William Hewitt Phillips, NACA and NASA Langley Research Center aerospace engineer (and chief of Flight Dynamics
and Control Division from 1970 to 1979), including lecture notes, reports and memoranda tracing the development of Phillips'
theories while at Langley, spanning from his work on World War II-era aircraft to the early U.S. space program and beyond.
Permission to publish material from the William Hewitt Phillips Papers must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia
Tech.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: William Hewitt Phillips Papers, Ms2005-019
- Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Acquisition Information
The William Hewitt Phillips Papers were donated to Special Collections in 2005.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement and description of the William Hewitt Phillips Papers commenced in September 2008 and was completed
in February 2009.
William Hewitt Phillips, known more familiarly as Hewitt Phillips, was born in Merseyside, England, in 1918, but moved with
his parents at age two to the United States. He studied aeronautical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), obtaining an S. B. degree in 1939 and an S.M. in 1940.
In July 1940, Phillips entered commenced service with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), where he was
assigned to the Flight Research Division at Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia), specializing in the study of aircraft
flying qualities and stability. Within this broader assignment, Phillips' task involved the improvement of World War II military
aircraft flying qualities. Following the war, Phillips' research related to the development of jet-powered fighter airplanes,
supersonic airplanes, stability augmentation and its effect on pilot control, automatic control, and gust alleviation. In
1947, Phillips had married Viola Ohler, then head of Langley's editorial office. The couple had three children.
As the U. S. space program commenced, Phillips became chief of the Space Mechanics Division, supervising research in the areas
of space rendezvous, navigation, and lunar landing and developing flight simulators for the Gemini and Apollo programs. To
train astronauts for lunar landings, Phillips developed the Lunar Landing Facility. He later served as an analyst and consultant
in the development of the space shuttle.
Phillips retired from NASA in February 1979 but continued in the position of distinguished research associate, performing
original research on solar-powered aircraft, propellers, airfoil design and wind-tunnel studies of the use of canard surfaces
for the space shuttle.
This collection contains the papers of William Hewitt Phillips, an aerospace engineer for the National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics (NACA) and National Air and Space Administration (NASA) at Langley Research Center and chief of the Flight
Dynamics and Control Division from 1970 to 1979. The collection includes lecture notes, reports and memoranda tracing the
development of Phillips' theories while at Langley and spans from his work on World War II-era aircraft to the early U.S.
space program and beyond. These papers include calculations of various numerical values in relation to various aircraft and
spacecraft, as well as drawings and other illustrations. The collection also contains a set of Phillips' official reports,
files devoted to lectures delivered by Phillips, and notes from courses and lectures presented by others. Major topics in
this collection include aircraft stability and control; gust alleviation; wing theories; types of planes; shuttles; airfoils;
gliders; and simulation of space operations (particularly the Lunar Landing Research Facility).
The collection retains, to a large extent, the original order in which it was received from the donor, though some minor changes
have been made for the sake of consistency. The majority of the collection, consisting of subject files, is arranged alphabetically
by topic. Phillips' formal reports are arranged chronologically. The arrangement and file titles of a few folders have been
changed to provide consistency to the alphabetical order.
The files were originally housed in four cabinets, later transferred to six boxes by the donor, and finally transferred to
permanent boxes during archival processing. The contents of each original cabinet had been arranged in a generally alphabetical
order, but there was no overall arrangement among the individual cabinets. Thus, the alphabetical order of the original Cabinet
1 comprises Boxes 1-5; of Cabinet 2, Boxes 5-11; of Cabinet 3, Boxes 11-22; and of Cabinet 4, Boxes 21-25. Phillips' formal
NACA and NASA reports are arranged separately, in chronological order, and are found in Boxes 29-32.
Following Phillips' formal reports is a collection of materials relating to other writings and lectures by Phillips, previously
in no particular order but here arranged chronologically; a set of files from lectures and courses presented by others, also
originally found in no particular order, is now arranged by name of presenter and completes the collection.
Phillips, W. Hewitt, Journey in Aeronautical Research: a Career at NASA Langley Research Center (Washington, D.C.: NASA History Office, 1998). TL540 P54 J687 1998 Large Spec
William Hewitt Phillips Autobiography, ca. 1995. Typescript draft titled "Research at Langley: a Technical Autobiography,"
later published as Journey in Aeronautical Research: a Career at NASA Langley Research Center.. Finding aid
available on the Virginia Heritage database. Ms2008-080.
Phillips, W. Hewitt, Journey in Aeronautical Research: a Career at NASA Langley Research Center (Washington, D.C.: NASA History Office, 1998). TL540 P54 J687 1998 Large Spec
Related Material
William Hewitt Phillips Autobiography, ca. 1995. Typescript draft titled "Research at Langley: a Technical Autobiography,"
later published as Journey in Aeronautical Research: a Career at NASA Langley Research Center.. Finding aid
available on the Virginia Heritage database. Ms2008-080.
Airfoils: Velocity Ahead of an Airfoil: Program by R. T. Jones
1988, n.d.
Box-folder 22-2
Airfoils with Thick Trailing Edge - Douglas Co.
n.d.
Box-folder 22-3
Altitude Response - Initial Studies
1979
Box-folder 22-4
Apollo, NASA Contributions
1974-1994
Box-folder 22-5
Attitude Control - Dr. Rublein Contract
1981
Box-folder 22-6
Bibliographies on Handling Qualities
1981-1987, n.d.
Box-folder 22-7
Boundary Layer Studies
1977-1987, n.d.
Box-folder 22-8
Canards - High Lift Configuration
1971-1984
Box-folder 22-9
Circulation Control
1987-1989
Box-folder 22-10
Complimentary Filter - Report by John Garren et. al.
1977
Box-folder 22-11
Contributions by Langley Engineers - Listed by Phillips
1990-1991
Box-folder 22-12
Crescent Wing Studies
1986-1987
Box-folder 22-13
Departure Maneuvers (Stalls)
1980
Box-folder 22-14
Dryden Lecture by Phillips
1989
Box-folder 22-15
Education - Senior Projects
n.d.
Box-folder 22-16
Flight Control Review Group, Shuttle
1974-1979, n.d.
Box-folder 22-17
Fuzzy Logic
1992, n.d.
Box-folder 23-1
Hang Glider - Correspondence and Reports
1975-1982, n.d.
[2 folders]
Box-folder 23-2
Hang Glider - Data and Trajectory Calculations
1978-1979
Box-folder 23-3
Joined Wings - Publicized by Wolkovitch
1986
Box-folder 23-4
Larrabee, E. Eugene - Copies of Talks
1991-1995
Box-folder 23-5
Mars Airplane
1978, n.d.
Box-folder 23-6
Paper Airplane - World's Largest
1992-1993
Box-folder 23-7
Papers on Airfoil Drag
1937-1992
Box-folder 23-8
Photos of Langley's Aerodrome and Some Data
1992, n.d.
Box-folder 23-9
Pilot-Induced Oscillations
1992
Box-folder 23-10
Plot of Energy Efficiency in Climb - Used in Study of Solar Aircraft
1979
Box-folder 23-11
Pressure Drag of Airfoil
1988-1990, n.d.
Box-folder 24-1
Project Teal Rain, DARPA Project on Solar-Powered Aircraft
1979-1980, n.d.
Box-folder 24-2
Propeller Design for Very High Altitude Airplane
1980, n.d.
Box-folder 24-3
Pterodactyl Replica Designed by Paul McCready and Henry Jex
1986, n.d.
Box-folder 24-4
Scaling
1992, n.d.
Box-folder 24-5
Scaling, Paper for Journal of Aircraft
1992-1993
Box-folder 24-6
Scaling, References - Compilation of Non-Dimensional Numbers
[1904?]-1992
Box-folder 24-7
Seventy-fifth Anniversary Book - Comments
1990
Box-folder 24-8
Shuttle - Entry Concerns and Oscillations of Elevons
1980, n.d.
Box-folder 24-9
Shuttle Navigation System - Raymond Montgomery
1979, n.d.
Box-folder 24-10
Shuttle Pilot-Induced Oscillation Problem (PIO)
n.d.
Box-folder 24-11
Solar-Powered Aircraft - von Flotow, Daedelus
1988, n.d.
Box-folder 24-12
Solar-Powered and Microwave-Powered Aircraft, References
1953-1984, n.d.
Box-folder 24-13
Stagnation Point Flow
1957
Box-folder 24-14
Submarine - Longitudinal Response to Elevator Control
1981, n.d.
Box-folder 24-15
Turbulence Response - Ribner and Filotas
1969-1992, n.d.
Box-folder 25-1
Underwater Vehicles
1981, n.d.
Box-folder 25-2
Vought F8U-I - Compilation of Memos
1957-1981
Box-folder 25-3
Wedge Trailing Edge - Flexible
1991-1992, n.d.
Box-folder 25-4
Wind Tunnel Built for Virginia Air and Space Center
1941-1990, n.d.
Box-folder 25-5
Wing Leveler Fluidic
1978
Box-folder 25-6
Winglets
1962-1978, n.d.
Box-folder 25-7
Yachts
1972-1984, n.d.
Box-folder 25-8
Measurements of the Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics of the Vought-Sikorsky XF4U-1 Airplane Memorandum Report
for Bureau of Aeronautics
Aug 30 1941
Box-folder 25-9
Effect of Spring and Gravity Moments in the Control System on the Longitudinal Stability of the Brewster XsBA-1 Airplane
Apr 1942
[2 copies]
Box-folder 25-10
Measurements of the Flying Qualities of a Hawker Hurricane Airplane
Apr 1942
[2 copies]
Box-folder 25-11
A Flight Investigation of Short-Period Longitudinal Oscillations of an Airplane with Free Elevator
May 1942
Box-folder 25-12
Control-Surface Instability of High-Speed Airplanes
Jun 1942
Box-folder 25-13
Comparison of Aileron Control Characteristics as Determined in Flight Tests of P-36, P-40, Spitfire, and Hurricane Pursuit
Airplanes
Aug 1942
Box-folder 25-14
Measurements of the Flying Qualities of a Submarine Spitfire Va Airplane
Sep 1942
[2 copies]
Box-folder 25-15
Stalling Characteristics of the Submarine Spitfire Va Airplane
Sep 1942
[2 copies]
Box-folder 25-16
A Flight Investigation of the Stability of a Towed Body
Oct 1942
[3 copies]
Box-folder 25-17
Flight Test of Various Tail Modifications on the Brewster XSBA-1 Airplane I-Measurements of Flying Qualities with the Original
Tail Surfaces
Jul 1943
Box-folder 26-1
Flight Tests of Various Tail Modifications on the Brewster XSBA-1 Airplane II - Measurements of Flying Qualities with Tail
Configuration Number Two
Dec 1943
Box-folder 26-2
Measurements of the Flying Qualities of a Curtis SB2C1-Airplane
Mar 1944
Box-folder 26-3
Stability of a Body Stabilized by Fins and Suspended from an Airplane
Apr 1944
Box-folder 26-4
Application of Spring Tabs to Elevator Controls
Oct 1944
Box-folder 26-5
Effect of Lateral Shift of Center of Gravity on Rudder Deflection Required for Trim
Nov 1944
Box-folder 26-6
Application of Spring Tabs to Elevator Controls
1944
Box-folder 26-7
The Use of Geared Spring Tabs for Elevator Control
Feb 1945
Box-folder 26-8
An Investigation of Additional Requirements for Stability Elevator Control Characteristics
Jun 1946
Box-folder 26-9
Effect of Steady Rolling on Longitudinal and Directional Stability
Jun 1948
Box-folder 26-10
Appreciation and Prediction of Flying Qualities - Technical Report 927
1948-1949
Theoretical Analysis of Oscillations of a Towed Cable
Jan 1949
Box-folder 26-12
Low-Speed Tests of a Model Simulating the Phenomenon of Control-Surface Buzz
Aug 1950
Box-folder 26-13
Ability of Pilots to Control Simulated Short-Period Yawing Oscillations
Nov 1950
Box-folder 26-14
Theoretical Study of Some Methods For Increasing The Smoothness of Flight through Rough Air
Jul 1951
Box-folder 26-15
Theoretical Analysis of Some Simple Types of Acceleration Restrictors
Dec 1951
Box-folder 26-16
Effects on Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics of a Boeing B-29 Airplane of Variations in Stick-Force and Control-Rate
Characteristics Obtained through Use of a Booster in the Elevator-Control System
1952
Box-folder 26-17
Flight Investigation of Mechanical Feel Device in an Irreversible Elevator Control System of a Large Airplane
1952
Box-folder 26-18
Graphical Solution of Some Automatic-Control Problems Involving Saturation
Aug 1953
Box-folder 26-19
Review and Investigation of Unsatisfactory Control Characteristics Involving Instability of Pilot-Airplane Combination and
Methods for Predicting These Difficulties from Ground Tests
Aug 1953
Box-folder 26-20
Theoretical Investigation of Some Discontinuous Yaw Dampers
Apr 1954
Box-folder 26-21
A Method For Measuring The Product of Inertia and the Inclination of the Principal Longitudinal Axis of Inertia of an Airplane
Apr 1954
Box-folder 26-22
Investigation of Effect of Reduction of Valve Friction in a Power Control System by Use of a Vibrator
Jul 1955
Box-folder 27-1
Analysis of Automatic Control to Prevent Rolling Divergence
Apr 1956
Box-folder 27-2
Investigation by the Transonic-Bump Method of a 35 Sweptback Semispan Model Equipped with a Flap Operated By A Series of Servovanes
Located Ahead of and Geared to the Flap
Apr 1956
Box-folder 27-3
Theoretical Calculation of the Power Spectra of the Rolling and Yawing
Moments on a Wing in Random Turbulence
Dec 1956
Box-folder 27-4
Loads Implications of Gust-Alleviation System
Jun 1957
Box-folder 27-5
Flight Investigation of the Effectiveness of an Automatic Aileron Trim Control Device for Personal Airplanes
1957
[also includes "Simulator Studies of Several Lateral Stability Augmentation Concepts for Light Aircraft" by H. Douglas Garner
(Langly Working Paper 999, Oct 6 1971)]
Box-folder 27-6
Subsonic Flight Investigation of Methods to Improve the Damping of Lateral Oscillations by Means of a Viscous Damper in the
Rudder System in Conjunction with Adjusted Hinge-moment Parameters
Jan 1958
Box-folder 27-7
A Method for the Calculation of the Lateral Response of Airplane to Random Turbulence
Feb 1958
[2 copies]
Box-folder 27-8
Analysis of a Cable in a Satellite Orbit
Jun 15 1959
Box-folder 27-9
The Lateral Response of Airplanes To Random Atmospheric Turbulence
1960
Box-folder 27-10
Research on Blunt-Faced Entry Configurations at Angles of Attack Between 60 and 90
1960
Box-folder 27-11
A Longitudinal Control Feel System for In-Flight Research on Response Feel
Jan 1961
Box-folder 27-12
Analysis of Effects of Interceptor Roll Performance and Maneuverability
on Success of Collision-Course Attacks
Aug 1961
Box-folder 27-13
Propulsive Efficiency of Tail-Mounted Turbofan Engines
Dec 1968
Box-folder 27-14
Effects of Spanwise Variation of Gust Velocity on Alleviation System Designed for Uniform Gust Velocity Across Span
Jan 1971
Box-folder 27-15
Effect on a Glider of Its Own Trailing Vortices in Circling Flight
Jan 1972
Box-folder 27-16
Analysis of Effect of Asymmetric Loading on Sailplane Performance in Circling Flight
Oct 1972
Box-folder 27-17
Effect of the Method of Obtaining Lateral Trim on the Drag of a Glider in a Steady Turn
1972
Box-folder 27-18
Gyroscopic Moments on a Glider in Turning Flight
1972
Box-folder 27-19
Study of the Control System to Alleviate Aircraft Response to Horizontal and Vertical Gusts
Dec 1973
Box-folder 27-20
Analysis of Experimental Studies of the Control of Hang Gliders
1974
Box-folder 27-21
Recovering from a Vertical Dive
1975
Box-folder 27-22
Propulsive Effects Due to Flight Through Turbulence
1975
Box-folder 27-23
Investigation of Longitudinal Control System for a Small Hydrofoil Boat
1976
Box-folder 27-24
Stability and Control of Hang Gliders
1976
Box-folder 27-25
Ground Distance Covered During Airborne Horizontal Deceleration of an Airplane
Apr 1978
Box-folder 27-26
Simulation Study of the Oscillations Longitudinal Motion of an Airplane at the Stall
Aug 1978
Box-folder 27-27
Altitude Response of Several Airplanes During Landing Approach
Nov 1979
Box-folder 27-28
Some Design Considerations for Solar-Powered Aircraft
Jun 1980
Box-folder 27-29
Analytical Study of a Fireplace Heat Exchanger
Feb 1981
Box-folder 28-1
Flight Research on F8U-1 Airplanes
Sep 1981
Box-folder 28-2
Studies of Friction Drag and Pressure Drag of Airfoils Using the Eppler Program
Oct 1988
[see also Oversize]
Box-folder 28-3
Dryden Lecture - Flying Qualities from Early Airplanes to the Space Shuttle
Jul 1989
Box-folder 28-4
Determination of the Pressure Drag of Airfoils by Integration of Surface Pressures
Oct 1990
[2 copies]
Box-folder 28-5
Recollections of Langley in the Forties - Talk by W.H. Phillips
Jun 1992
Box-folder 28-6
Effects of Model Scale on Flight Characteristics and Design Parameters
Mar-Apr 1994
Box-folder 28-7
Accuracy of Frequency Response - Fourier Series
1951-1952, n.d.
Box-folder 28-8
Aircraft Stability and Control - Miscellaneous Notes
1945-1950, n.d.
Box-folder 28-9
Effect of Roll Collision Course Attacks - Book I
1957, n.d.
[2 folders]
Box-folder 28-10
Effect of Roll Collision Course Attacks - Book II
1957, n.d.
Box-folder 29-1
(Volume VII) Experimental Methods in High-Speed Aerodynamics Section N Piloted Aircraft Testing by Bailey, Zalovcik, Phillips
and Huston
n.d.
Box-folder 29-2
(Article on) Gust Alleviation Presented as Part of a Series of Technical Talks at Rensselaer
Box-folder 29-3
Gyro Lecture - Phillips
Box-folder 29-4
Lunar Landing Facility
1961-1967, n.d.
[3 folders]
Box-folder 29-5
Moments on Satellites; Pearson Lecture Series; Density Determination; Control in Free Space
1958-1959, n.d.
[2 folders]
Box-folder 30-1
Phase Plane Methods
1952-1953, n.d.
Box-folder 30-2
Space Stabilization - Bibliography
Box-folder 30-3
Space Stabilization Talk for Interns
n.d.
Box-folder 30-4
Stabilization Work, Material for Talk on
1959, n.d.
Box-folder 30-5
Stable Platform Lecture W.H.P.
1959
Box-folder 30-6
Theory of Stability of Aircraft and Other Physical Systems
n.d.
Box-folder 30-7
VU-Graphs Dynamic Stability Lecture (folder 1 of 2)
1963-1976, n.d.
[2 folders]
Box-folder 30-8
Phillips Notes for Lecture Preparations
1950, n.d.
Box-folder 30-9
Diedrich - Introduction to Matrix Analysis
n.d.
Box-folder 30-10
[Diedrich] Matrix Notes
n.d.
Box-folder 30-11
Diedrich, Matrix Notes on Course by
1950, n.d.
[2 folders]
Box-folder 31-1
Dr. Eade Course - Calculus of Variation
Box-folder 31-2
Dr. Kalman Lectures; Dr. Dreyfers Lectures
Box-folder 31-3
Dr. Katzoff Course - Modern Physics
Box-folder 31-4
Rempfer Lectures - Dr. Nashed
Folder Oversize Folder 1
Envelope of Typical Printouts from the Eppler Program
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