Heat transfer data are presented which describe characteristics of the transitional thermal boundary layers on the NACA0012 airfoil with upstream wakes. The wakes are generated periodically by circular cylindrical rods which rotate around the airfoil like a squirrel cage. The unsteady wakes simulate those produced by the upstream rotating blade rows in axial turbomachines. The pressure or suction side of the airfoil is also simulated according to the rotating direction of circular rods. As the Reynolds number and the number of rotating rods increase, the boundary layer transition occurs earlier and the Nusselt number increases. The difference of heat transfer coefficient is less on the pressure side than on the suction side. At a constant Reynolds number, the Nusselt number is larger and smaller, respectively, before and after transition as the Strouhal number increases.