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The hypersonic wind tunnel described in this paper is of the standard blowdown type. The system consists of an air compressor, a storage system, a regenerative gas-fired heat exchanger and the hypersonic nozzle and tunnel interconnected by the air flow system. Additionally, there are the necessary facility protection and safety systems together with the instrumentation required for the operation of the facility and the acquisition of data. The method of operation of the system is as follows: The air is compressed by the compressors and stored in the pressure vessel while the gas-fired regenerative heat exchanger is being brought up to temperature. When both cycles are complete, the system is ready to operate. At this stage the gas burner system is sealed off from the gas-fired heat exchanger and air is fed through from the storage vessel via the air flow control system to the heat exchanger. From the regenerative gas-fired heat exchanger the air passes through the hypersonic nozzle into the wind tunnel and thence to atmosphere. (Author).