Space History Photo: Wing Flow Method

space history, NACA, wing-flow method, P-51D

A NACA technician prepares to use a P-51D for transonic testing. (Image credit: NACA.)

In this historic 1946 photo from the U.S. space agency, a semispan airplane model and flow-direction vane mounted on wing of P-51D airplane for transonic tests by wing-flow method.

The National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, (NACA) was a precursor to NASA. NACA was created by Congress in 1915.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes, satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. Its astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, visit: nasa.gov.