Ludwig Prandtl’s Airfoil

Origin
A mathematically minded aeronautical engineer, Ludwig Prantl developed founding principles of modern day propelled flight. His works delved into the use of subsonic and transonic velocities to push aircraft farther and faster than they could achieve at the time. His defining contribution was the understanding of the boundary layer, where air separated into distinct areas in around an aircraft. Some air would pool along the wing and drag it downwards, while other pockets would flow underneath the wing and lift it up, counteracting the downward drag to achieve flight.

During WWI, he came to the realization that the wingtips heavily affected the flight capabilities of different planes, creating drag and vortices that created turbulence. By studying this phenomenon, Prandtl helped develop more stable aircraft and later crafted supersonic wind tunnels to test the flight stability of warplanes and later rockets.

Effects
With terrifying ability, the flimsy looking metal and canvas glider can cleave the air in twain. Particles will slide around the craft cleanly with little resistance, allowing it to achieve remarkably high speeds. However, its difficulty to come to a halt and incredibly sharp cutting edge have earned it a special place strapped to the Warehouse floor display.