STUDY of aerodynamics was first made in connection with airships and airplanes, asserts the author, and streamlined forms were developed as a result of wind-tunnel tests made by Paul Jaray in Austria and Germany before the World War and supported by mathematical studies. The findings were applied to improvement of the shape of Zeppelin airships, and later the streamline principles were incorporated in automobile designs.
The author presents the results of wind-tunnel tests of streamlined automobile models in this Country which showed reduction by almost one-half in the wind resistance at speeds of 40 and 50 m.p.h., as compared with the conventional American sedan model. Results are also given of road tests of a standard Chrysler car and a Jaray-Chrysler car, using the same chassis model and each seating five passengers. The streamlined car is shown to coast farther, accelerate faster and consume much less fuel than the conventional sedan model.
The paper concludes with a theoretical analysis of the horsepower required to maintain a given car speed, which shows that much less power is needed to drive a streamlined car than a conventional one, and with the enumeration of several other important advantages obtained from streamlining.