The collection contains information on the life and work of Richard Kuhn. Included in the collection are various media types dating from approx. 1943 to 1978 on the effectiveness of flap systems in deflecting propeller slipstreams and wind tunnel subsonic and transonic aerodynamic research at Langley.

Richard E. Kuhn, a graduate of Parks Air College, began his career at the NACA Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in 1943. His first work in V/STOL included studies on the effectiveness of flap systems in deflecting propeller slipstreams. In 1962, he headed Langley Research Centers Powered Lift Aerodynamics Section and guided the development of the Langley V/STOL Tunnel. He was co-recipient of the SAE Wright Brothers Award for best paper of the year in 1964. During the 1960s and early 1970s, he served as consultant to the U.S. Air Force, NATO, U.S. Department of Transportation and DARPA on various projects and by 1974 was responsible for much of the subsonic and transonic aerodynamic research at Langley. In 1978, he retired from NASA to take a more active role in V/STOL as a consultant and contractor to industry and the government. He has written or co-authored over 100 technical papers most of them in V/STOL and half of them since his retirement from NASA. Mr. Kuhn is an AIAA Associate Fellow and a member of the AIAA V/STOL Committee. He received the AIAAs F.E. Newbold V/STOL Award in 2000. He was a world famous leader in vertical takeoff aircraft technology.

.3 Cubic Feet The collection contains various media types dating from approx. 1943 to 1978 on the effectiveness of flap systems in deflecting propeller slipstreams and wind tunnel subsonic and transonic aerodynamic research at Langley. The collection contains one box with 2 binders, 22 floppy discs with notes, four framed certificates, 1 picture of “Nation Transonic Facility”, Three 1 & ¼ ” Video Tape Cassettes, One ¾” Video Tape Cassette, and one 3“ 16MM film canister with film (X-13 and VZ-5A Over Water).

The collection is open to research by appointment. Some restrictions may apply.