Report presenting a flight investigation to determine the comparative performance of AN-F-58 and AN-F-32 fuels in a 4000-pound-thrust turbojet engine. The fuels were equivalent over the range of conditions investigated. Results regarding corrected net thrust, corrected jet-fuel consumption, variation of corrected tail-pipe temperature, combustor blow-out speeds, and visual observations of the jet exhaust are provided.

"A 1/12-scale model of a horizontal tail of a fighter airplane was tested through the transonic speeds in the high-speed flow over an airplane wing, the surface of which served as a reflection plane for the model. Measurements of lift, elevator-hinge moment, angle of attack, and elevator angle were made in the Mach number range from 0.75 to 1.04 for elevator deflections ranging from 10 degrees to minus 10 degrees, and for angles of attack of minus 1.2 degrees, 0.4 degrees, and 3.4 degrees. The equipment used to measure the hinge moments of the model proved to be unsatisfactory, and for this reason the hinge-moment data are considered to be only qualitative" (p. 1).

Report discussing the results of flight tests to determine the drag at zero lift of a swept-back wing of inverse taper using an NACA 65-009 airfoil. The data was compared to untapered wings with a similar degree of sweepback. The tapered wing was found to have a lower drag coefficient than the 34-degree swept-back untapered wing but a higher drag coefficient than the 45-degree swept-back untapered wing.

Report presenting testing on parabolic bodies of revolution of two fineness ratios in the transonic and supersonic range. One had a body fineness ratio of 7.87 and one had a ratio of 12 and were tested under different Mach number ranges. Experimental results and drag estimates of various portions of the body are provided.

Report presenting an investigation at low speed to determine the static aerodynamic forces and moments on a canard missile model during launching from the midsemispan and wing-tip locations of a wing-fuselage combination with a 45 degree sweptback wing. When the missile was mounted under the wing at the midsemispan location, changes in chordwise position produced large changes in missile forces and moments.

Report presenting an investigation to determine the effects of location of bodies (finned and unfinned) on the aerodynamic characteristics of unswept- and swept-wing--fuselage models and to determine the aerodynamic loads on the bodies in the presence of the wings. Results for the complete model characteristics and for the body are provided.

Report presenting an investigation of the mechanism of interaction of compression shock with boundary layer. Shockless pressure distributions at supercritical Mach numbers were found to be accounted for by a marked thickening of the boundary layer for some distance ahead of a shock wave.

Report presenting an investigation to determine the effect of blade-section camber on the stall-flutter characteristics of three propellers using a 6000-horsepower propeller dynamometer. Up to a certain blade angle, there was an increase in flutter-speed coefficient with an increase in blade-section design lift coefficient. An increase in thrust was found to lead to an increase in tip Mach number in the flutter region of the propeller blades.

Report presenting pressure distributions of three triangular wing models: a wing-alone model, the same wing combined with a body, and a mock-up of a triangular-wing airplane. Results regarding the separation-vortex air flow over triangular wings, general comments regarding the applicability of the study, chordwise pressure distribution, section lift characteristics, center of pressure, and span load distribution are provided.

From Summary: "Flight tests were conducted on a straight-wing fighter-type jet airplane to investigate the lateral-control characteristics associated with a wing-dropping tendency encountered at high subsonic Mach numbers. The chief factors found to account directly for the wing-dropping tendency were a progressive reduction in aileron-control effectiveness with increasing Mach number, and an increase in effective dihedral above a Mach number of 0.8 which made the lateral trim particularly sensitive to small changes in sideslip angle."

Memorandum presenting a preliminary and theoretical investigation of the effect of velocity diagram on inlet total-pressure distortions through single-stage subsonic axial-flow compressors for incompressible flow. A theoretical investigation was used to determine proper velocity diagrams and then the wake of a 1/4-inch-diameter rod was measured upstream of the rotor. The tests indicated that the derived equation will estimate the downstream distortion with reasonable accuracy for inlet total-pressure distortion which extends far enough circumferentially to alter the static-pressure field in the blade passage.

Memorandum presenting an investigation to determine the operating characteristics of a small side-located control stick with the use of a ground simulator incorporating a power control system. The simulator or pitch chair was designed to produce the pitching motion associated with the short-period mode of an airplane. The general opinion of all of the pilots operating the pitch chair was that they were favorably impressed with their ability to precisely track with the small side-located controller provided the control-system characteristics were desirable.

Report presenting an extensive collection of lift and hinge-moment characteristics of control surfaces up to a Mach number of 0.90 in a high-speed wind tunnel. A wide variety of control-surface profiles, plan forms, and aerodynamic balances are included. Results regarding elevator hinge moments and longitudinal control, aileron hinge moments and lateral control, control-surface characteristics, and transonic flutter are highlighted.

Report presenting testing on a 60 degree delta-wing XF-92A airplane at a variety of Mach numbers to obtain measurements regarding buffet-induced fluctuations in normal acceleration and of fluctuations in structural shear load of the left wing. The altitudes tested ranged from 25,000 to 38,000 feet. Results regarding the buffet boundary, wing flow conditions, buffet frequencies, buffet intensities, and a comparison to buffeting of other airplanes are provided.

Report presenting a flight investigation over a range of altitudes and lift to determine the wing loads of the Bell X-5 research airplane at a sweep angle of 58.7 degrees at subsonic and transonic Mach numbers. Testing indicated that wing loads exhibit nonlinear trends over the angle-of-attack range from zero to maximum wing lift.

Memorandum presenting measurements of some of the high-speed characteristics of the D-558-1 airplane up to Mach number 0.89. The results of the tests showed that the stabilizer incidence drastically affected the longitudinal trim characteristics above a Mach number of 0.80.

The report summarizes source material on combustion for flight-propulsion engineers. First, several chapters review fundamental processes such as fuel-air mixture preparation, gas flow and mixing, flammability and ignition, flame propagation in both homogenous and heterogenous media, flame stabilization, combustion oscillations, and smoke and carbon formation. The practical significance and the relation of these processes to theory are presented. A second series of chapters describes the observed performance and design problems of engine combustors of the principal types. An attempt is made to interpret performance in terms of the fundamental processes and theories previously reviewed. Third, the design of high-speed combustion systems is discussed. Combustor design principles that can be established from basic considerations and from experience with actual combustors are described. Finally, future requirements for aircraft engine combustion systems are examined.

Fuels having Reid vapor pressures of 6.3 and 1.0 pounds per square inch were investigated in a tail-pipe burner on an axial-flow-type turbojet engine at a simulated flight Mach number of 0.6 and altitudes from 20,000 to 45,000 feet. With the burner configuration used in this investigation, having a mixing length of only 8 inches between the fuel manifold and the flame holder, the low-vapor-pressure fuel gave lower combustion efficiency at a given tail-pipe fuel-air ratio. Because the exhaust-nozzle area was fixed, the lower efficiency resulted in lower thrust and higher specific fuel consumption. The maximum altitude at which the burner would operate was practically unaffected by the change in fuel volatility.

Data obtained from the first flight test of a ram jet utilizing a magnesium slurry fuel are presented. The ram jet accelerated from a Mach number of 1.75 to a Mach number of 3.48 in 15.5 seconds. During this period a maximum values of air specific impulse and gross thrust coefficient were calculated to be 151 seconds and 0.658, respectively. The rocket gas generator used as a fuel-pumping system operated successfully.

Report presenting the results of oscillation tests to measure the dynamic-rotary stability derivatives of an airplane model at high subsonic speeds. Measurements taken included the damping in pitch, damping in yaw, damping in roll, and the yawing moment due to rolling velocity.

Report presenting the air-flow behavior over the wing of an XP-51 airplane including photographs of tufts attached to the wing surface and chordwise pressure distributions. A comparison of tuft studies from flight results are compared with results from wind-tunnel testing. Three types of flow were observed: steady flow, unsteady flow, and break-away flow are provided.

Report presenting flight measurements obtained during acceptance tests conducted by the Bell Aircraft Corporation on the XS-1 research airplane. The primary focus was on the aerodynamic loads, handling qualities, maximum lift, and buffet boundaries of the airplane.

Report presenting calculations of the dynamic lateral stability characteristics of a mock-up configuration of the Douglas X-3. The oscillations were found to be stable for all calculations investigated but would not meet the Air Force damping requirements for the majority of the conditions. The use of an autopilot was found to greatly improve oscillation damping.

Report presenting an investigation in the free-flight tunnel to determine the dynamic lateral stability and control characteristics of a coupled airplane configuration with simplified fighter models attached to the wing tips of a simplified bomber model. The configuration is meant to represent fighter airplanes carried on the wing tips of a bomber airplane to provide fighter protection for the bomber or for in-flight fueling. Results regarding the fighters attached with freedom in roll, with freedom in roll and pitch, and with freedom in roll, pitch, and yaw are provided.