From Summary: "A method is presented for the rapid calculation of the pressure distribution over an airfoil section when the normal-force distribution and the pressure distribution over the "base profile" (i.e., the profile of the same airfoil were the camber line straight and the resulting airfoil at zero angle of attack) are known. This note is intended as a supplement to N.A.C.A. Report Nos. 631 and 634 wherein methods are presented for the calculation of the normal-force distribution over plain and flapped airfoils, respectively, but not of the pressures on the individual surfaces. Base-profile pressure-coefficient distributions for the usual N.A.C.A. family of airfoils, which are also suitable for several other commonly employed airfoils, are included in tabular form. With these tabulated base-profile pressures and the computed normal-force distributions, pressure distributions adequate for most engineering purposes can be obtained."

Aerodynamic force tests of an NACA 23018 airfoil with a Gwinn flap having a chord 25 percent of the overall chord and of an NACA 23015 airfoil with a plain flap having a 25-percent chord were conducted to determine the relative merits of the Gwinn and the plain flaps. The tests indicated that, based on speed-range ratios, the plain flap was more effective than the Gwinn flap. At small flap deflections, the plain flap had lower drag coefficients at lift-coefficient values less than 0.70. For lift coefficients greater than 0.70, however, the Gwinn flap at all downward flap deflections had the lower drag coefficients.

Pressure-distribution tests of an NACA 0009 airfoil with an 80-percent-chord plain flap and three plain tabs, having chord of 10, 20, and 30 percent of the flap chord, were made. Section data suitable for application to the design of horizontal and vertical tail surfaces were obtained. Resultant-pressure diagrams for the airfoil with the flap and the 20-percent-chord tab are presented. Plots are also given of increments of normal-force and hinge-moment coefficients for the airfoil, the flap, and the three tabs. A comparison of some characteristic slopes for the 30-, the 50-, and the 80-percent-chord flaps, tested in the general investigation of plain flaps for control surfaces, is included. Section aerodynamic and load data have been made available for a wide range of flap and a tab chords to be used on an NACA 0009 airfoil or on other conventional sections.

From Summary: "Pressure-distribution tests of an NACA 0009 airfoil with a 30-percent-chord plain flap and three plain tabs, having chords 10, 20, and 30 percent of the flap chord, were made. The purpose of these tests was to continue an investigation to supply structural and aerodynamic section data that may be applied to the design of horizontal and vertical tail surfaces. The results are presented as diagrams of resultant pressures and of resultant-pressure increments for the airfoil with the flap and the 20-percent-chord tab. Increments of normal-force and hinge-moment coefficients for the airfoil, the flap, and the three tabs are also given. At all unstalled flap and tab deflections, the experimental distributions agree well with those calculated by an analytical method. The agreement is poor, however, then the stalled or the unstalled condition of the flap or tab deflected alone was changed to an unstalled or stalled condition by the simultaneous deflection of both the flap and the tab."

Note presenting an investigation of three centrifugal impellers, the same except for angular blade curvature, to determine the effect of the distribution of blade loading on impeller performance. Results regarding impeller efficiency, energy addition and pressure ratio, flow characteristics, and operating range are provided.

"An analytical investigation is made of the effect of shear lag on the bending vibration of wings that are designed essentially as shallow box beams, and a procedure is outlined for incorporating this effect in the determination of bending modes and frequencies. Numerical examples show that shear-lag action in a box beam can have a large influence on its vibration characteristics. The calculations indicate that even though only a small shear-lag action may be observed in a simple static deflection test of the beam, reductions in the second and higher-mode frequencies may be relatively large" (p. 1).

Note presenting experiments conducted to determine the effect of a strong axial magnetic field on the flow of mercury through a circular channel. The magnetic induction was 15,000 gauss, and the channel was a pyrex tube 17-1/4 inches long and 0.027 inch inside diameter. The results indicated that the stabilizing effect occurred only at Reynolds number above 5,000, so that the region of practical applicability seems to be at fairly high Reynolds numbers and when there are only slight disturbances in the flow.

From Summary: "Linearized compressible-flow analysis is applied to the study of wind-tunnel-wall interference for subsonic flow in either two-dimensional or circular test sections having slotted or porous walls. Expressions are developed for evaluating blockage and lift interference."

Ram-jet cycles that use the chemical energy of dissociated oxygen for propulsion in the ionosphere are presented. After a review of the properties and compositions of the upper atmosphere, the external drag, recombination kinetics, and aerodynamic-heating problems of an orbiting ram jet are analyzed. The study indicates that the recombination ram jet might be useful for sustaining a satellite at an altitude of about 60 miles. Atmospheric composition and recombination-rate coefficients were too uncertain for more definite conclusions. The ram jet is a marginal device even in the optimistic view.

Note presenting an investigation to determine what effect joints connected with brackets, nails, and glue has on the strength of aircraft wing spars. Equations used to determine the results of loading tests are provided.

Technical note presenting tests conducted to determine the factors influencing the thermal conductance across the interface formed between stationary plane surfaces of 75S-T6 aluminum-alloy and AISI Type 416 stainless-steel blocks. The types of joints investigated included bare metal-to-metal contact, contact surfaces separated by a good conductor (brass), and contact surfaces separated by a thin sheet of insulation (asbestos). Results regarding the effect of surface roughness, pressure, mean interface temperature, temperature drop, sandwich material, time as a factor in conductance, and effect of test reassembly and interface matching are provided.

"A solution based upon small-deflection theory is presented for the critical shear stress of curved rectangular panels with simply supported edges. Computed curves which cover a wide range of panel dimensions are presented; these curves are found to be in good agreement with test results. Estimated curves are also given for panels with clamped edges" (p. 1).

Report presenting the aerodynamic characteristics of 19 isolated tail surfaces, which have been determined by wind tunnel tests. Testing was also made of rectangular airfoils of various aspect ratios with and without double end plates of various shapes. The analysis indicated that the slope of the lift curve could be predicted within 10 percent for all models by use of lifting-surface-theory equations.

"A 1/7.06 full-size model of the NC-type hull was tested in the N.A.C.A. tank by both the general method and the specific or free-to-trim method. The results of the tests are given in curves plotted as non dimensional coefficients and are compared with the test results of N.A.C.A. model 11-A. The NC model (N.A.C.A. model 44) shows higher resistance than model 11-A at hump speed but lower resistance at high speeds. Model 44 has a higher best trim angle at the jump and a lower maximum positive trimming moment than model 11-A. At high speeds the best trim angle and the trimming moments of the two models are approximately the same" (p. 1).

Report presenting tests to determine the damping in roll and aileron rolling effectiveness of three wings with different degrees of sweepback. The results showed that the values of damping in roll decreased with increasing sweepback. The rolling effectiveness of the aileron of the sweptback wing was found to be predicted with fair accuracy from static aileron-rolling-moment tests and wing-damping tests.

This note is part of a program with the objective of finding practical ways of reducing the external noise level of light airplanes in order to make them less objectionable to people on the ground. The current report covers noise measurements on standard light airplanes and on similar airplanes equipped with engine mufflers, propeller reduction gears, and propellers with various numbers of blades and blade shapes. The results indicate that reductions in noise level were found to result from muffling the engine and from reducing propeller tip speed and blade loading.

Report presenting an investigation of the Reynolds number for transition on the outside of a hollow cylinder with heat transfer from the boundary layer to the wall at Mach number 6.9. At a given Mach number, it appears that the Reynolds number based on leading-edge thickness is an important parameter in comparisons of flat-plate transition data from various installations.

Tests on a high-speed single-cylinder engine are described. The regularity of the spark timing was varied by driving the timer from different engine shafts. A simple and reasonably accurate method of determining the spark timing is described. The results show that irregular spark timing may cause large errors in tests of the knocking properties of fuels. For the engine tested, it was found that a change of one crankshaft degree in spark restart was equivalent to an 0.85 inch Hg change in allowable inlet pressure.

The heat-transfer coefficients have been determined for five steel cylinders having fins 1.22 inches wide and the spacing between the fins ranging from 0.022 to 0.131 inch. The cylinders were tested with and without baffles in a wind tunnel; they were also tested enclosed in jackets with the cooling air supplied by a blower. A maximum heat transfer was reached at a fin space of about 0.45 inch for the cylinders tested with each of the three methods of cooling investigated. The rise in temperature of the air passing between the fins and the change in flow pattern were found to be important factors limiting the heat transfer that may be obtained by decreasing the fin space. The use of baffles for directing the air around the cylinders with closely spaced fins proved very effective in increasing the over-all heat-transfer coefficient, provided that the spacing was not appreciably less than that for maximum heat transfer.

Report presenting an investigation to determine the floating characteristics of full-length plain and horn-balanced rudders during rotary tests at spinning attitudes on a scale model of a typical low-wing personal-owner airplane. The investigation included the determination of the effects of the horizontal tail and the wing on the rudder floating characteristics.

Report presenting calculations of the lateral response to representative time histories of atmospheric turbulence for two airplanes with widely different dynamic properties and explanations for their differences in behavior. The results indicate that atmospheric turbulence can cause and maintain a lateral hunting oscillation of a plane, which can be fairly regular and more pronounced for lightly damped airplanes. This may explain some of the cases of airplane snaking that have not been explained by other causes.

Report presenting a technique for obtaining a physical picture of the flow behind a wing, combination of wings, or other aircraft components is described. The technique involves photographing from far downstream the action of a large number of tufts of uniform length mounted on a screen. Results regarding the angle of attack variations at zero yaw, effect of sideslip, deflecting tip controls, and yawing oscillation tests are provided.

Note presenting wind-tunnel tests to ascertain the total-pressure recovery of a circular nose inlet utilizing various shapes of inlet lips. The tests were conducted at a free-stream Mach number of 0.237 with inlet flows ranging from low values to choking and at angles of attack from 0 to 25 degrees.

Report presenting a free-flight test technique that can be used to obtain damping in roll of sting-mounted wings and wing-fuselage combinations over high subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds with rocket-propelled test vehicles. Results regarding delta wings and unswept tapered wings are provided.