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The Vought O3U-1 Corsair, an observation-type biplane, was the first airplane to be tested in the Full-Scale Tunnel at the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The tunnel was dedicated May 27, 1931 and has been in continuous use since that time. The Corsair tests were conducted from June 6 through June 9, 1931. The tunnel has a test section large enough for installation of airplanes or models, with wing spans up to 50 feet. The air entrance cone is 60 feet wide and 30 feet high. It is an open-throat wind tunnel, a revolutionary characteristic when the facility was first put into operation. A large variety of models, including dirigibles, dirigible hangers, a submarine, autogiros and helicopters, in addition to conventional airplanes, have been tested in the tunnel. It is now used principally for helicopter studies and for research on the low-speed takeoff and landing characteristics of high-speed aircraft.
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