"The flow of a compressible fluid past a sphere fixed in a uniform stream is calculated to the third order of approximation by means of the Janzen-Rayleigh method. The velocity and the pressure distribution over the surface of the sphere are computed and the terms involving the fourth power of the Mach number, neglected in Rayleigh's calculation, are shown to be of considerable importance as the local velocity of sound is approached on the sphere. The critical Mach number, that is, the value of the Mach number at which the maximum velocity of the fluid past the sphere is just equal to the local velocity of sound, is calculated for both the second and the third approximation and is found to be, respectively, Mcr=0.587 and Mcr=0.573" (p. 1).

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."

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.

"Concurrent tests were performed on a 1/16 and a 1/20 scale model (wing spans of 2.64 and 2.11 ft. respectively) of a modern low wing monoplane in the NACA 15 foot free-spinning wind tunnel. Results are presented in the form of charts that afford a direct comparison between the spins of the two models for a number of different conditions. Qualitatively, the same characteristic effects of control disposition, mass distribution, and dimensional modifications were indicated by both models" (p. 1).

Note presenting testing performed on scale models of a modern low-wing monoplane in the 15-foot free-spinning wind tunnel. Results are presented in the form of charts that afford a direct comparison between the spins of the two models for a number of different conditions. The results indicate that, within the range of Reynolds numbers used in the present investigation, such factors as difficulty of ballasting and testing are more important in determining proper model size than the changes in scale effect likely to result from the use of different sizes of models.

Note presenting tests made on cylindrical and spherical shells to determine the local stresses and deflections produced by concentrated and variously distributed loading. The results are correlated with those of earlier experiments, and empirical formulas based on the data are proposed. Data are presented on the effect of severe prestressing on stiffness and on the efficiency of welded lugs of various forms in transmitting a load to a thin shell without producing excessive local stresses.

"An investigation was made in the NACA 7- by 10-foot wind tunnel to determine the effect of slot-lip location on the aerodynamic section characteristics of an NACA 23012 airfoil with a 30-percent-chord slotted flap. Tests were made with slot lips located at 90 and 100 percent of the airfoil chord and with two different flap shapes. The results are compared with a slotted flap previously developed by the National advisory Committee for Aeronautics with a slot lip located at 83 percent of the airfoil chord. The extension of the slot lip to the rear increased the section lift and pitching-moment coefficients" (p. 1).

"The solution of von Karman's fundamental equations for large deflections of plates is presented for the case of a simply supported rectangular plate under combined edge compression and lateral loading. Numerical solutions are given for square plates and for rectangular plates with a width-span ratio of 3:1. The effective widths under edge compression are compared with effective widths according to von Karman, Bengston, Marguerre, and Cox and with experimental results by Ramberg, McPherson, and Levy" (p. 1).

"A theoretical study has been made of the reduction in downwash and upward displacement of the wake in the presence of the ground, and some verification of the theory has been obtained by means of air-flow measurements made with a ground-board and image-wing combination. Methods are given for estimating the effects and numerous examples are included to illustrate the nature of these effects and to show their order of magnitude" (p. 1).

"A theoretical analysis is given for the stresses and deflections of a square plate with clamped edges under normal pressure producing large deflections. Values of the bending stress and membrane stress at the center of the plate and at the midpoint of the edge are given for center deflections up to 1.9 times the plate thickness. The shape of the deflected surface is given for low pressures and for the highest pressure considered" (p. 1).

The available sources of data on the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys at low temperatures are listed and a summary of the material to be found in each source is given. There is included a discussion of the results of recent tests of aluminum alloys at low temperatures made at the Aluminum Research Laboratories.

Equations are given for the elastic behavior of initially curved sheets in which the deflections are not small in comparison with the thickness, but at the same time small enough to justify the use of simplified formulas for curvature. These equations are solved for the case of a sheet with circular cylindrical shape simply supported along two edges parallel to the axis of the generating cylinder. Numerical results are given for three values of the curvature and for three ratios of buckle length to buckle width.

The distribution of stress in the cover sheets of thin-wall box beams is analyzed, with regard to the effect of shear deformation in the cover sheets, by the method of least work. Explicit results are obtained for a number of representative cases that show the influence of the following factors on the stress patterns. General conclusions are drawn from the results obtained. Among them the most important one appears to be the fact that the shear-lag effect depends primarily on several tow qualities.

From Summary: "This paper deals with the single problem if circular shell-supported frames subjected to concentrated loadings. A mathematical attack is developed and presented in the form of nondimensional-coefficient curves."

Report presenting a device that automatically analyses the data from a 45 degree strain rosette. The rosette strains are properly combined by means of an electric circuit to yield a direct meter reading of maximum shear strain and major and minor principal strains.

From Summary: "Charts are presented for rapidly determining the principal strains and stresses, the maximum shear strain and stress, and the orientation of principal axes from data on 45 degree strain rosettes. The charts may be used for analyzing the conventional data consisting of strains measured along three gage lines 45 degrees apart, but their application is more direct if the rosette data are obtained by means of special circuits that require the use of four gages 45 degrees apart."

Numerical methods have been developed for obtaining the steady, adiabatic flow field of a frictionless, perfect gas about arbitrary two-dimensional bodies. The solutions include the subsonic velocity regions, the supersonic velocity regions, and the transition compression shocks, if required. Furthermore, the rotational motion and entropy changes following shocks are taken into account. Extensive use is made of the relaxation method. In this report the details of the methods of solution are emphasized so as to permit others to solve similar problems. Solutions already obtained are mentioned only by way of illustrating the possibilities of the methods described. The methods can be applied directly to wind tunnel and free air tests of arbitrary airfoil shapes at subsonic, sonic, and supersonic speeds.

Note presenting an investigation of several laminated glass windshields to determine their suitability for use in airplanes with pressurized cabins. The various constructions of the extended portions of the windshields which serve for mounting purposes included plastic alone, plastic and one sheet of glass extended, plastic extension reinforced with an aluminum strip, and plastic extension reinforced with a steel strip. The results indicated that the laminated windshields with plastic-mounting extensions reinforced by aluminum or steel were resistant to creep and bursting at pressures of the order that will be encountered in service.

Note presenting an instrument that measures small absolute humidity changes by photoelectric examination of the 9440 angstrom units absorption band of water vapor. The instrument consists of a small source of light which sends its radiation over an air path of less than 1.5 meters to a dispersing system.

"Low-aspect-ratio wings having pointed plan forms are treated on the assumption that the flow potentials in planes at right angles to the long axis of the airfoils are similar to the corresponding two-dimensional potentials. For the limiting case of small angles of attack and low aspect ratios the theory brings out the following significant properties: (1) The lift of a slender, pointed airfoil moving in the direction of its long axis depends on the increase in width of the sections in a downstream direction. Sections behind the section of maximum width develop no lift. (2) The spanwise loading of such an airfoil is independent of the plan form and approaches the distribution giving a minimum induced drag. (3) The lift distribution of a pointed airfoil travelling point-foremost is relatively unaffected by the compressibility of the air below or above the speed of sound. A best of a triangular airfoil at a Mach number of 1.75 verified the theoretical values of lift and center of pressure" (p. 1).

From Introduction: "A collection balanced-aileron test data is given in reference 1. Reference 2 presents a collection of data applicable to the design of tail surfaces. The results of analyses of data for control surfaces with internal balances, plain-overhang and Frise balances, beveled trailing edges, and unshielded horn balances have already been published in references 3 to 6."

From Introduction: "It is the purpose of this paper to describe the physical properties that are necessary to specify mixture quality in a system containing fuel and dry air and to evaluate the theoretical rolation between these properties and the physical properties of the mixture."

Report presenting a number of calculations of bending-torsion wing flutter at two Mach numbers and a comparison of the results. The results indicated that the effect of compressibility on flutter speed for subsonic speeds with no shocks, although complicated, is relatively small in the usual cases.