A Slender Body in aerodynamics is a body where there is little or no separation over the surfaces of the body.
Typical examples of slender bodies are:
- Aircraft wings operate in low angles of attack
- Boat/ship hulls
- Guide vanes and rotating machinery
All the above examples can also operate in a stall and therefore be bluff.
The image shows a typical slender body with attached flow over most of the wing section, this is a wind section with a NACA 0012 profile, in an angle of attack of 10 degrees.
For examples of separated flow, see the article on bluff bodies.