The blow-down type of intermittent, supersonic tunnel is attractive because of its simplicity and because relatively high Reynolds numbers can be obtained for a given size of test section. An adverse characteristic, however, is the fall of stagnation temperature during runs, which can affect experiments in several ways. The Reynolds number varies and the absolute velocity is not constant, even if the Mach number and pressure are; heat-transfer cannot be studied under controlled conditions and the experimental errors arising from the effect of heat-transfer on the boundary layer vary in time. These effects can become significant in quantitative experiments if the tunnel is large and the variation of temperature very rapid; the expense required to eliminate them might then be justified.