Report discusses the results of an investigation to study the effect of the height of a rivet head on the number of cycles required to cause failure of a machine-countersunk flush-riveted joint under a combined static and alternating shear load. A tight joint and a loose joint were tested and the number of cycles to failure and location of fatigue failure were compared.

Report describes exploratory testing to determine the feasibility of using a hydrofoil with a type of flying boat afterbody called a planing tail. Several hydrofoil locations were examined, including no hydrofoil, and the effects of resistance characteristics were charted. The researchers concluded that it is possible to add a single hydrofoil to that type of afterbody to provide additional hydrodynamic lift without introducing instability.

Report discusses the results of testing on the dynamic stability characteristics of various hydrofoil systems for seaplanes, including a flat-hydrofoil tandem system, a 20 degree V-hydrofoil tandem system, a curved-hydrofoil tandem system, a flat-hydrofoil ladder system, a Guidoni S.V.A.-type hydrofoil on a streamline spindle, and several self-propelled models, including the Tietjens hydrofoil system. The instability and spray were compared for the different systems.

Report presenting seven distinct operations in the preparation of 2,2,4,4-tetramethylpentane, including the preparation of di-isobutylene hydrochloride, preparation of dimethylzinc, reaction of dimethylzinc in dry benzene with di-isobutylene hydrochloride, preliminary distillation of the reaction products, treatment of the first distillate with sodium and alcohol, final distillation after appropriate washing of the products, and recovery of the iodine in the zinc residues of II as methyl iodide.

"Tests described in this report were undertaken to obtain a quantitative measure of the pressure lag in typical pressure-tubing systems used by the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory in flight research investigations. Lag measurements were made with both single-direction and oscillating pressure changes. Single-direction pressure changes were investigated to determine if the lag in orifice-pressure lines and in the research airspeed and altitude measuring systems of pursuit-type airplane undergoing flight tests was sufficient to cause an appreciable error in the record of a sudden pressure change" (p. 1).

Summary presenting information on flush-riveted joints for aircraft construction, including the strength, occurrence of defects, and effect of the angle of rivet head. The current tests covers specimens from 15 manufacturers of which 5 series have been completed and are described in this report.

Report discusses a proposal for propeller manufacturers to consider the side-force factor with the activity factor as a fundamental parameter for all blade designs and for the side-force factor to be included in all reports of powered models in wind tunnels. The proposal includes a method for calculating the side-force factor and how it can be used in propeller development. It is shown to be a good index of the relative effectiveness per blade of a yawed propeller in developing side force.

Report discusses an investigation into the relation between the effects of cylinder-head temperature and inlet-mixture temperature on the knock limits of fuels. The tests were run at a constant fuel-air ratio and the decrease in cylinder-head temperature required to offset the effect of increasing the inlet-mixture temperature on knock-limited power was determined. The apparatus and testing procedure are described and the effect of changes in cylinder-head temperature on the knock limit of any fuel are plotted.

Report summarizes the available hinge-moment data for unshielded horn-balanced control surfaces. The purpose is to correlate the available data to assist with estimating the balance characteristics for use in the design and alteration of control surfaces with horn balances. Plan forms and variation of incremental hinge-moment-coefficient slopes with balance coefficients are presented.

Report discusses the results of shear testing in which the heads of Du Pont explosive countersunk rivets were allowed to protrude above the skin surface before expansion and the protruding portions were removed after expansion. As the height of the rivet head above the skin increases, the tightness of the rivet was found to increase. The report concludes that it may be desirable to investigating filling an entire shank with an explosive charge in order to permit greater tolerances in the drilled hole diameter and still have consistently tight rivets.

"The determination of flight Mach number from measurements of indicated airspeed and pressure altitude is shown to be relatively simple and leads to direct and accurate computation of true airspeed. A simplified chart is presented for determining flight Mach number and true airspeed for a range of values of indicated airspeed, pressure altitude, and air temperature. A table of standard atmospheric values is included" (p. 1).

Report discusses the results of testing on the pressure distribution at several longitudinal sections of the vertical tail surface of the Curtiss P-40K airplane at various angles of attack and angles of yaw and with the propeller removed and propeller operating. Results regarding the chordwise pressure distributions, effects of propeller operation on the spanwise distribution of normal-force coefficient, total normal-force coefficients, and effect of propeller operation on the variation of vertical-tail normal-force coefficients are presented.

"Two methods are presented for determining the horizontal location of the stick-fixed neutral point from wind-tunnel data. One method involves the solution of a mathematical equation; whereas the other method is a graphical solution for the same mathematical equation. The combined horizontal and vertical variation of the neutral point completely describes the stick-fixed longitudinal stability of airplanes that have large allowable center-of-gravity shifts" (p. 1).

"Two graphical methods are presented for determining the stick-free neutral point, and they are extensions of the methods commonly used to determine the stick-free neutral point. A mathematical formula for computing the stick-free neutral point is also given. These methods may be applied to determine approximately the increase in tail size necessary to shift the neutral point (stick fixed or free) to any desired location on an airplane having inadequate longitudinal stability" (p. 1).

Report discusses the results of strength tests of several curved-sheet 24S-T aluminum alloy specimens stiffened longitudinally and transversely and loaded in shear. Curved-web beams and cylindrical shells were both examined in the tests. Results provided include the load at which the sheet began to show shear buckles, where the buckles occurred, and whether or not the failures involved rupture of the sheet.

Report discusses the problem of large airplanes spinning and the fact that they should not be intentionally spun because they are not designed for the loads and speeds that may be encountered in spin and recovery. Stall and spin characteristics for large airplanes are described. Recommended piloting procedures in case of a large airplane spinning event are also provided.

"Tests were made in high-speed dives and pull-outs to determine, by combined radar-optical tracking equipment, the static-pressure error of an airspeed-head installation on a P-51B airplane." The equipment used and testing procedure are described. The variation of static-pressure error is provided for several ranges of airplane lift coefficient.

"The variation in the necessary aileron control and in the time required to bank to 45 degrees and 90 degrees with altitude and radii of gyration for a typical fighter or a pursuit airplane have been computed and are presented herein." The lateral motions and impact pressure for several conditions of flight are provided. The report concludes that "the aileron system...should be designed for rolling-moment requirements at high altitude and the hinge-moment limitations at low altitude".

Bulletin presenting the results of an investigation to determine possible improvements in the tightness and the flushness of machine-countersunk rivets. Specimens used in the study were simple lap joints made by different riveting methods. The results indicate that a comparison of the quality of machine-countersunk riveted joints on the basis of maximum load alone is not justified.

Report presenting an analysis of records of more than 134,000 flying hours, which have been received and evaluated in order to bring the V-G recorder data up to date. The analysis of the records is contained in the report. Results indicate that the maximum effective gust velocities for both the land transport airplanes and the flying boats have approached values of 40 feet per second.

Report presents tables and charts for the evaluation of profile drag from wake surveys at high supersonic speeds. Two methods of evaluation are presented: an exact method that can be used on a wake of any shape and a simple approximate method that can be used when the variation of total-pressure loss across the wave has a typical form.

Report discusses data obtained from testing shear of joints riveted with round-head and brazier-head rivets. The tightness of the rivets is also compared for one value of rivet diameter. The load-displacement curves and comparison of load at various values of permanent displacement are presented for both types of rivets.

Bulletin presenting load-displacement curves for use in establishing allowable-load values for riveted joints assembled by an NACA flush-riveting procedure. Comparative data are also given to show the effect of variations in the procedure on the yield and maximum shear loads for the rivets.

Report discusses the results of testing on "10-inch shear panels of 24S-T aluminum alloy with 1.5 inch holes to determine the stress concentration at static rupture and the deformation characteristics" (from Summary). The strength of the perforated specimens is compared to the solid specimens and the critical stresses are computed. The stress at which permanent set occurs was also measured.