Kinetics and Microstructural Control

The Skin of Concorde

· The change in the properties of precipitation hardened aluminum alloys when exposed to high temperatures presents a problem for the design of supersonic aircraft.

From: "The Skin of Concorde,"
The Open University Press (1973)

· The diagram shows the skin temperatures reached during a transatlantic supersonic flight by the Anglo-French Concord.
· These temperatures are high enough to alter the age-hardened state of an aluminum-copper alloy, reducing its mechanical performance.