This report presents an extension of the autogiro theory of Glauert and Lock in which the influence of a pitch varying with the blade radius is evaluated and methods of approximating the effect of blade tip losses and the influence of reversed velocities on the retreating blades are developed. A comparison of calculated and experimental results showed that most of the rotor characteristics could be calculated with reasonable accuracy, and that the type of induced flow assumed has a secondary effect upon the net rotor forces, although the flapping motion is influenced appreciably. An approximate evaluation of the effect of parasite drag on the rotor blades established the importance of including this factor in the analysis.

The revised report includes the chart for the analysis of aircraft accidents, combining consideration of the immediate causes, underlying causes, and results of accidents, as prepared by the special committee, with a number of the definitions clarified. A brief statement of the organization and work of the special committee and of the Committee on Aircraft Accidents; and statistical tables giving a comparison of the types of accidents and causes of accidents in the military services on the one hand and in civil aviation on the other, together with explanations of some of the important differences noted in these tables.

From Summary: "This report presents, further, information on the properties of various other native species of wood compared with spruce, and discusses the characteristics of a considerable number of them from the standpoint of their possible application in aircraft manufacture to supplement the woods that are now most commonly used."

Report presents the results of wind tunnel tests of pressure distribution measurements over one section each of six airfoils. Pressure distribution diagrams, as well as the integrated characteristics of the airfoils, are given for both a high and a low dynamic scale or, Reynolds number VL/V, for comparison with flight and other wind-tunnel tests, respectively. It is concluded that the scale effect is very important only at angles of attack near the burble.

This report presents the results of wind tunnel tests conducted to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of airship models. Eight Goodyear-Zeppelin airship models were tested in the original closed-throat tunnel. After the tunnel was rebuilt with an open throat a new model was tested, and one of the Goodyear-Zeppelin models was retested. The results indicate that much may be done to determine the drag of airships from evaluations of the pressure and skin-frictional drags on models tested at large Reynolds number.

From Summary: "An analysis is made of the influence on autogiro rotor characteristics of a periodic blade twist that varies with the azimuth position of the rotor blade and the results are compared with experimental data. The analysis expresses the influence of this type of twist upon the thrust, torque, and flapping motion of the rotor. The check against experimental data shows that the periodic twist has a pronounced influence on the flapping motion and that this influence is accurately predicted by the analysis. The influence of the twist upon the thrust and torque could be demonstrated only indirectly, but its importance is indicated."

From Summary: "A comparatively simple method of calculating length of take-off run is developed from the assumption of a linear variation in net accelerating force with air speed and it is shown that the error involved is negligible. Detailed instructions are given for application of the formula and for the calculation of all factors involved."

"Factors derived from wing theory are presented. By means of these factors, the angle of zero lift, the lift-curve slope, the pitching moment, the aerodynamic-center position, and the induced drag of tapered wings with partial-span flaps may be calculated. The factors are given for wings of aspect ratios 6 and 10 , of taper ratios from 0.25 to 1.00, and with flaps of various length. An example is presented of the method of application of the factors. Fair agreement with experimental results is shown for two wings of different taper ratio having plain flaps of various spacing" (p. 1).

This report groups in a uniform manner the aerodynamic properties of commonly used wing sections as determined from tests in various wind tunnels. The data have been collected from reports of a number of laboratories. Where necessary, transformation has been made to the absolute system of coefficients and tunnel wall interference corrections have been applied. Tables and graphs present the data in the various forms useful to the engineer in the selection of a wing section.

"This report presents a comparison of superchargers on the basis of the power required to compress the air at a definite rate, and on the basis of the net engine power developed at altitudes from 0 to 40,000 feet. The investigation included geared centrifugal, turbine-driven centrifugal, roots, and vane-type superchargers. It also includes a brief discussion of the mechanical limitations of each supercharger and explains how the method of control affects the power requirements" (p. 425).

"The purpose of this investigation was to obtain information for use in the design of truss and plywood forms, particularly with reference to wing ribs. Tests were made on many designs of wing ribs, comparing different types in various sizes. Many tests were also made on parallel-chord specimens of truss and plywood forms in place of the actual ribs and on parts of wing ribs, such as truss diagonals and sections of cap strips" (p. 223).

"Flight tests were made to determine the profile-drag coefficients of a portion of the original wing surface of an all-metal airplane and of a portion of the wing made aerodynamically smooth and more nearly fair than the original section. The wing section was approximately the NACA 2414.5. The tests were carried out over a range of airplane speeds giving a maximum Reynolds number of 15,000,000. Tests were also carried out to locate the point of transition from laminar to turbulent boundary layer and to determine the velocity distribution along the upper surface of the wing" (p. 483).

Report presents the results of an investigation of full-scale nose-slot cowlings conducted in the NACA 20-foot wind tunnel to furnish information on the pressure drop available for cooling. Engine conductances from 0 to 0.12 and exit-slot conductances from 0 to 0.30 were covered. Two basic nose shapes were tested to determine the effect of the radius of curvature of the nose contour; the nose shape with the smaller radius of curvature gave the higher pressure drop across the engine. The best axial location of the slot for low-speed operation was found to be in the region of maximum negative pressure for the basic shape for the particular operating condition. The effect of the pressure operating condition on the available cooling pressure is shown.

This report presents the results of wind tunnel tests to determine the effect on the characteristics of a propeller of inclining the propeller axis at small angles to the relative wind. Tests were made of a full-scale propeller and fuselage combination at four angles of yaw (0 degree, +5 degrees, +10 degrees, +15 degrees), and of a model propeller, nacelle, and wing combination of five angles of pitch (-5 degrees, 0 degree, +5 degrees, +10 degrees and +15 degrees). The results of the full-scale tests of a propeller and fuselage, without a wing, show that the effect on the propeller performance is small. Similar results are shown by the model test data except that where the propeller is directly in front of the wing there is an appreciable decrease in effective thrust and propulsive efficiency with increase of angle of pitch.

This report presents the results of an investigation to study the effect of water vapor upon the spatial speed of flame in equivalent mixtures of carbon monoxide and oxygen at various total pressures from 100 to 780 mm.hg. These results show that, within this pressure range, an increase in flame speed is produced by increasing the mole fraction of water vapor at least as far as saturation at 25 degrees c., and that the rate of this increase is greater the higher the pressure. It is evident that water vapor plays an important part in the explosive oxidation of carbon monoxide; the need for further experimental evidence as to the nature of its action is indicated.

This reports presents a method of calculating time and gross load for take-off of seaplanes and flying boats.

"The investigation of the effect of mass distribution on the spinning of airplanes initiated with tests on the NY-1 airplane has been continued by tests on another airplane in order to increase the scope of the information and to observe particularly the behavior of an airplane that shows considerable change in sideslip angle for its various conditions of spinning. The XN2Y-1 naval training biplane was used for the present tests in which changes of ballast along the longitudinal and lateral axes and changes of aileron, stabilizer, and elevator settings were made. The effects of these changes on the steady spin were measured in flight' (p. 185).

From Summary: "The tests described in this report furnished data on the actual aerodynamic forces, and the resulting stresses and bending moments in the hull of the U. S. S. "Los Angeles" during as severe still-air maneuvers as the airship would normally be subjected to, and in straight flight during as rough air as is likely to occur in service, short of squall or storm conditions. The maximum stresses were found to be within the limits provided for in accepted practice in airship design. Normal flight in rough air was shown to produce forces and stresses about twice as great as the most severe still-air maneuvers."

From Summary: "This report presents the results of maneuverability tests of an O3U-1 observation airplane. This investigation is the third in a series of similar investigations requested by the Bureau of Aeronautics (Navy) for the purpose of comparing the maneuverability of different airplane types and to provide quantitative data for use in establishing a criterion or method for rating the maneuverability of an airplane. The two former investigations were conducted with the fighter types designated F6C-3 and F6C-4 and have been reported previously. Measurement of the air speed, the angular velocity, the linear acceleration, and positions of the controls were made during abrupt single-control maneuvers with three stop positions for each control, during steady horizontal turns for the determination of minimum radius, and during 180 degree turns by various methods."

"A brief historical and descriptive account of solid injection is followed by a detailed review of the available theoretical and experimental data that seem to throw light on the mechanism of this form of atomization. It is concluded that this evidence indicates that (1) the atomization accompanying solid injection occurs at the surface of the liquid after it issues as a solid stream from the orifice; and (2) that such atomization has a mechanism physically identical with the atomization which takes place in an air stream, both being due merely to the formation, at the gas-liquid interface, of fine ligaments under the influence of the relative motion of gas and liquid, and to their collapse, under the influence of surface tension, to form the drops in the spray" (p. 735).

From Summary: "In this report a formula is developed that enables the determination of the proper design load for the portion of the wing forward of the front spar. The formula is inherently rational in concept, as it takes into account the most important variables that affect the leading-edge load, although theoretical rigor has been sacrificed for simplicity and ease of application. Some empirical corrections, based on pressure distribution measurements on the PW-9 and M-3 airplanes have been introduced to provide properly for biplanes. Results from the formula check experimental values in a variety of cases with good accuracy in the critical loading conditions. The use of the method for design purposes is therefore felt to be justified and is recommended."

"The two-blade propeller, one of the most powerful sources of sound known, has been studied with the view of obtaining fundamental information concerning the noise emission. In order to eliminate engine noise, the propeller was mounted on an electric motor. A microphone was used to pick up the sound whose characteristics were studied electrically. The distribution of noise throughout the frequency range, as well as the spatial distribution about the propeller, was studied. The results are given in the form of polar diagrams. An appendix of common acoustical terms is included" (p. 359).

"This report describes flight and landing tests made on a group of conventional airplanes. The upward deflection of the elevators was limited to the point where the airplanes could not be made to spin without the aid of power. With the elevator travel thus limited, the airplane in every case had good lateral stability and good aileron effectiveness up to the highest angles of attack which could be obtained in a glide, although this was not true in any case without the limited control" (p. 343).

Report presents the results of an investigation made in the NACA 7 by 10-foot wind tunnel of a large-chord NACA 23012 airfoil with several arrangements of venetian-blind flaps to determine the aerodynamic section characteristics as affected by the over-all flap chord, the chords of the slats used to form the flap, the slat spacing, the number of slats and the position of the flap with respect to the wing. Complete section data are given in the form of graphs for all the combinations tested.