Report discusses the results of testing of thallium as an antiknock agent in an internal-combustion engine. From Introduction: "On a weight basis, the thallium vapors were found to have several times the antiknock value of tetraethyl lead, which was added to the fuel. The amount of thallium vapor necessary to raise the antiknock properties of a gasoline up to exact equivalence with a benzol-gasoline mixture was determined in these engine tests."

Report discusses the results of an investigation to determine the feasibility of using the change in the specific gravity of fuels in aircraft fuel tanks to measure fuel-vaporization loss. Six fuels were tested via fuel-distillation tests and simulated-flight tests. An equation based on the specific gravity of the fuel is also described.

Report discussing the use of two types of geared spring tabs for elevator control: ordinary (or ungeared) spring tabs and geared spring tabs. Their use in airplanes of various sizes and in comparison to conventional control systems is described.

Report discussing the use of variable-ratio geared tabs with an experimental elevator to improve stick-force characteristics in turning flight. The stick forces with the tabs were found to be satisfactory for a variety of center-of-gravity ranges. The ability of pilots to use the controls is also described.

Report discusses the maximum load, time to reach maximum load, and variation of load with time for prismatic floats in order to improve understanding of hydrodynamic theory for the landing impact of seaplane floats. Comparison of theoretical and experimental results and their applicability to flight impact are provided.

"As a part of a general investigation of control boosters, preliminary calculations were made to indicate the sizes of control boosters necessary to move the controls of airplanes of various sizes. The analysis was based on the assumption that the controls were moved with a rapidity and amplitude equal to that measured with a fighter airplane in simulated combat. A corollary purpose consisted in determining the effect on reducing booster-power unit size of incorporating an energy accumulator in the booster system" (p. 1).

"A comparison is made of the structural efficiencies of truss webs of 24S-T aluminum alloy with previously published values of the structural efficiencies of diagonal-tension webs of 24S-T aluminum alloy on the basis of identical allowable stresses. It is concluded that the diagonal-tension beam (web and flanges) can usually be built to be a more efficient beam than the truss beam, even though over a small range the web of a Warren truss beam is slightly more efficient than the web of a diagonal-tension beam" (p. 1).

An experimental investigation is being conducted to determine the effect of varying the rivet diameter and pitch on the compressive strength of 24S-T aluminum-alloy panels with longitudinal Z-section stiffeners. The average stress at failing load for each rivet diameter, depth of countersink, and pitch of rivet is provided

Report discusses data obtained from measuring sideslip characteristics via the continuous-record method and the steady-record method. The situations in which each recording method is preferred are presented.

Report discusses testing performed to determine the fatigue strength of various types of riveted and spot-welded joints in the following aluminum alloys: Alclad 24S-T, 24S-RT, 758-T, 24S-T81, and 24S-T86. Details of the experiment, tensile properties, and information about failure are provided.

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.

"Typical thrust and torque coefficients and increments, due to the propeller, in the ratio of the dynamic pressure at the tail to the free-stream dynamic pressure are presented for 10 full-scale airplanes. Calculations indicate that an error of about 2 percent mean aerodynamic chord appears possible in determining the neutral point from wind-tunnel tests or a model in the gliding condition if the propeller is operated at zero thrust rather than at the values of thrust coefficient indicated by the flight tests" (p. 1).

Report discusses the results of measurements made via an XC-35 airplane to determine the relation between the velocities of vertical drafts and associated gusts within convective-type clouds. Information about vertical-draft velocity and maximum vertical true gust velocity is included.

Report discusses the results of testing "to determine the relationship between impact normal acceleration and flight-path angle for seaplanes landing on smooth water" (from Summary). The testing was done with a model at high and low forward speeds at 3 degrees trim, a dead-angle rise of 22.5 degrees, and consistent weight.

Report discusses the results of an investigation to determine the effect of a collector ring on exhaust-gas sampling. The results of tests to determine the percentage by volume of exhaust gas from the collector ring are presented for several engine powers and speeds. The danger of air dilution from the breathing action of the engine is almost entirely eliminated by the use of a collector ring.

"An investigation was made of the methods of supporting single-thickness specimens of aluminum-alloy sheet material in a fixture for determination of compressive stress-strain curves. The specimens were supported in the fixture by rollers, offset-grooved plates, opposite-grooved plates, flat brass plates, or flat wooden plates. The investigation also showed that the compression fixture, the specimen support, and the single-thickness specimens must be accurately made in order to obtain accurate stress-strain curves consistently" (p. 1).

Report describes an electrical-relay circuit that uses cylinder thermocouples for indicating preignition or misfiring in an aircraft engine. The potential dangers of preignition and the importance of an easy-to-use, practical preignition indicator are provided. The operating principles of the indicator and a description of its functioning, calibration, and installation procedures are also included.

Report discusses the effects of compressibility and angle of yaw on the pressure measured by a round-nose and a flat-nose total-pressure tube. The error incurred in the pressure measurements and factors affecting the total-pressure area are described.

Report discusses the differences between the mean tangential velocity of the air leaving the blade tips of a centrifugal supercharger calculated by the conventional turbine equation and by an equation that uses the isentropic increase in total enthalpy. The velocities are compared to experimental values observed with three diffusers.

Bulletin discusses a method to estimate aromatic hydrocarbons in hydrocarbon mixtures, which is important for determining the percentage of aromatics in fuel blends. The method was tested with nine base stocks at several levels of aromatics concentration and the maximum level of error was found to be about 0.5 percent. The speed and simplicity of the testing is emphasized.

"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).