A WIND tunnel at Filton that has helped test some of the world’s greatest aerodynamic designs, including Concorde and Formula One cars, is celebrating six decades of testing.

The low speed tunnel at Airbus has done a lot in its 60 years, including every new model the aerospace giant has ever produced.

And it’s not just the aviation industry which has benefited from the wind tunnel - Over the years, it has been used to test models of bridges, oil platforms, hotels, sails for ships, ski bikes for the Army, traffic lights, windmills, golf clubs and weather-proof clothing.

For several years in the mid-1990s the Ferrari Formula One racing team also used the tunnel to test their designs.

In the 70s the wooden models were all hand-built by craftsmen who used hundreds of templates as there were no computer-aided design tools available at that time.

Curves were drawn by hand through a series of dots on the paper. Wind tunnel models are now 3D printed in a matter of hours from metal powder or polymer, and the designs include tiny channels to measure air pressure.

But despite its age, there is no sign of slowing down. As it marks its diamond anniversary, the wind tunnel is set to continue its role at the forefront of engineering design, testing at low speeds to simulate take-off and landing conditions for aircraft and helicopters.

Simon Galpin, head of aerodynamics at Airbus, said: “Looking forward, the future appears as bright and challenging as ever.

“There are exciting prospects coming up to support of a wide range of programme developments and research activities including proving the next generation of wing designs.”