04-15-2023, 01:49 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: ABQ, New Mexico
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The NACA duct was originally used on jet air craft but the design didn’t pay off big the way engineers had hoped. Turns out the jet engine doesn’t like the turbulent, choppy air pulses that come in from the low boundary layer that NACA ducts take in.
When used on the Douglas YF-93A in tests, the high speed dives the jet was capable of was limited by loss of air to the jet engine due to turbulence. By the time the Douglas YF-93 reached production, the NACA ducts were dropped for another design. While they were used to some degree, it wasn’t the big innovation they were hoping for.
In the auto world, the NACA duct held more promise. It’s compact, low profile so drag isn’t a problem and easy to design. The cosmetic appeal is also high. Internal combustion engines with carbs don’t mind a bit of turbulence before reaching the inside of a carburetor. It helps atomize fuel better and provides cooler air. Cars did end up using the NACA duct to some degree. In fact, Ford used it first on their 1969 Shelby GT 350 and GT 500.
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