Among the various studies that led to the concept and design of Concorde, the visualizations obtained in the water tunnel on a complete model emphasized the organization of the upper surface vortices which provide the aircraft with the extra lift necessary at low speed.

The models were mounted with all the elements liable to affect the flow organization: drooped nose, undercarriage down, ground represented (as in the image shown here), simulated air intake and engine exhaust (as in Image 13), etc. The observations along various directions (from the top as shown in Image 11, and in cross-sections at the trailing edge as shown in Image 12), permit a verification of the results, particularly those concerning the wing vortices (in red) and the fuselage vortices (in green as shown here and in Image 11).

Image created by Henri Werlé. Reproduced with permission from his spectacular collection Courants et Couleurs published in 1974 by ONERA, the French Aerospace Lab.