Progress is reported in the physics and engineering aspects of pile technology.

Four routine shutdowns were experienced during the month. A measurable amount of the excess reactivity held in the control rods at the first of the month has been lost in the decrease in the average accumulated exposure of all the metal in the pile. The vertical safety rod guides have been measured for vertical alignment by the Maintenance Dept. A definite pattern has been found in the misalignment of the guides. The horizontal rod thimbles were borrowed on January 2, 1947 to see if any leaks were present. No leaks were observed but No. 2 Rod and No. 8 Rod had heavy gouge marks along the longitudinal axes. Several thimbles contained white corrosion. During the month two new bismuth tubes were established, 2871-D and 2877-D. This now gives the desired pattern of ten bismuth tubes.

Investigation at transonic speeds in the high-speed 7- by 10-foot tunnel to determine the rolling-effectiveness characteristics of a spoiler on a double-wedge-type semispan wing with a sweepback angle of 42 degrees. Results regarding the variation of rolling-moment coefficient, spoiler effectiveness, and rolling effectiveness are provided.

Report discussing an investigation of the DM-1 glider, which has an approximately triangular plan form, with auxiliary studies of a model of triangular wings. The pitching-moment coefficient, drag coefficient, and angle of attack with the lift coefficient are provided. Results indicated that the angles of descent without power are likely to be prohibitive and airplanes with the tested type of wings will not be able to land safely without power.

Report discussing testing of a model of the pilotless aircraft RM-1 to measure aileron hinge moments in flight in order to determine the reason for loss of roll stabilization at supercritical speeds in flight. The aileron was found to become quickly underbalanced over the full deflection range at supercritical speeds. Information about the general flight behavior, aileron hinge moments, and roll stabilization of the model is provided.

Report presenting an investigation of two symmetrical circular-arc airfoils of 6 and 10 percent thickness equipped with leading-edge and trailing-edge high-lift devices. A trialing-edge flap, drooped-nose flap, and leading-edge extensible flap were all tested. Results regarding the plain airfoils, airfoils with high-lift devices, combined deflection of high-lift devices, and low-drag-control flaps are provided.

Report presenting an investigation of two 10-foot-diameter three-blade propellers to determine the effect of swept-back blade tips on propeller aerodynamic characteristics. Results regarding the effect of swept-back tips on maximum efficiency and constant-power propeller operation are provided.

Memorandum presenting high-speed wind-tunnel testing to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics at subsonic speeds of two symmetrical double-wedge airfoil sections of 4- and 6-percent-chord thickness suitable for application to supersonic aircraft. Section coefficients of lift, drag, and quarter-chord pitching moment are presented for a moderate range of angles of attack at Mach numbers up to approximately 0.93. The double-wedge airfoil exhibits no characteristics other than those common to the usual subsonic profile which would contribute to unsteady or uncontrollable flight at subsonic speeds of aircraft employing such a section for lifting surfaces.

"A dislocation theory of fatigue failure for annealed solid solutions is presented. On the basis of this theory, an equation giving the dependence of the number of cycles for failure on the stress, the temperature, the material parameters, and the frequency is derived for uniformly stressed specimens. The equation is in quantitative agreement with the data" (p. 183).

A method is derived for calculating the damping coefficients in pitch and roll for a series of triangular wings and a restricted series of sweptback wings at supersonic speeds. The elementary "supersonic source" solution of the linearized equation of motion is used to find the potential function of a line of doublets, and the flows are obtained by surface distributions of these doublet lines. The damping derivatives for triangular wings are found to be a function of the ratio of the tangent of the apex angle to the tangent of the Mach angle. As this ratio becomes equal to and greater than 1.0 for triangular wings, the damping derivatives, in pitch and in roll, become constant. The damping derivative in roll becomes equal to one-half the value calculated for an infinite rectangular wing, and the damping derivative in pitch for pitching about the apex becomes equal to 3.375 times that of an infinite rectangular wing.

Report discussing tests that were carried out to determine if a few parts per million of boron can be removed directly from beryllium oxide powder without chemically changing the BeO during the process.

Report discussing assaying techniques used in the Department of Metallurgy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as the equipment used for the techniques.

The document consists of two photographs and ten drawing of an electrolysis assembly for electroplating radioactive samples and one drawing of a thin-window Beta-counter. Included are a cell support, an electrolysis cell, electrolysis cell cathode, cell rack, Geiger counter absorber slide, carrier for electrolysis cell cathodes, and a cover for electrolysis cell cathode carrier.

Flight tests were conducted on a North American P-51D airplane to establish the maximum lift coefficient and the buffeting boundary line as a function of Mach number.

The performance of the 11-stage axial-flow compressor in the X24C-4B turbojet engine was analyzed on the basis of results obtained from an investigation of the complete engine in the NACA Cleveland altitude wind tunnel. The engine was operated with four, exhaust nozzles of different outlet area over a range of engine speeds from 6000 to 12,500 rpm, corrected engine speeds from approximately 6100 to 13,600 rpm, and compressor Mach numbers from 0.45 to 1.00. Data are presented for engine operation over a range of simulated altitudes from 15,000 to 45,000 feet and simulated flight Mach numbers from 0.24 to 1.08.

Rim cracking in turbine wheels with welded blades was evaluated. The problem is explained on the basis of the occurrence of plastic flow in the rim during transient starting conditions when thermal compressive stresses resulting from high-temperature gradients exceed the proportional elastic limit of the material.

"The performance of a 24C-4 combustor was investigated with three different combustor baskets and five modifications of these baskets at conditions simulating static (zero-ram) operation of the 24C jet engine over ranges of altitude and engine speed to determine and improve the altitude operational limits of the 24C combustor. Information was also obtained regarding combustion characteristics, the fuel-flow characteristics of the fuel manifolds, and the combustor total-pressure drop. NACA modifications, which consisted of blocking rows of holes on the baskets, increased the minimum point on the altitude-operational-limit curve, which occurs at low engine speeds, for a narrow-upstream-end basket by 8000 feet (from 23, 000 to 31,000 ft) and for a wide-upstream-end basket by 21,000 feet (from 12, 000 to 34,000 ft)" (p. 1).

"The results obtained from measurements of gust velocities, draft velocities, and ambient-air temperature within thunderstorms for the period from September 11, 1946 to September 16, 1946 at Orlando, Florida are presented herein. These data are summarized in.and presented" (p. 1).

From Summary: "Pressures and temperatures throughout the X24C-4B turbojet engine are presented in both tabular and graphical forms to show the effect of altitude, flight Mach number, and engine speed on the internal operation of the engine. These data were obtained in the NACA Cleveland altitude wind tunnel at simulated altitudes from 5000 to 45,000 feet, simulated flight Mach numbers from 0.25 to 1.08, and engine speeds from 4000 to 12,500 rpm. Location and detail drawings of the instrumentation installed at seven survey stations in the engine are shown."