Flow characteristics around extremely low fineness-ratio circular cylinders

We conduct wind tunnel experiments to evaluate the drag and base-pressure coefficients and velocity field in the wake of a circular cylinder with extremely low length-to-diameter (fineness) ratio for diameter-based Reynolds number in the range $2\ensuremath{-}7.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$. A magnetic suspension and balance system eliminates interference from support structures. We find that the drag coefficient converges monotonically to that of a local disk without a maximum at any fineness ratio in the 0.1-0.5 range. Large-eddy simulations at Re = $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ agree with the experiments.