Report discussing an adapter which uses three Tuckerman optical strain gages to measure the displacement of the three vortices of an equilateral triangle along lines 120 degrees apart. These displacements are substituted in well-known equations in order to compute the magnitude and direction of the principal strains. Tests of the adaptor indicate that principal strains over a gage length of 1.42 inch may be measured with a systematic error not exceeding 4 percent and a mean observational error of the order of + or minus 0.000006. The maximum observed error in strain was of the order of 0.00006. The directions of principal strains for unidirectional stress were measured with the adaptor with an average error of the order of 1 degree.

A fixture is described for making normal-pressure tests of flat plates 5 inches in diameter in which particular care was taken to obtain rigid clamping at the edges. Results are given for 19 plates, ranging in thickness from 0.015 to 0.072 inch. The center deflections and the extreme-fiber stresses at low pressures were found to agree with theoretical values; the center deflections at high pressures were 4 to 12 percent greater than the theoretical values. Empirical curves are derived of the pressure for the beginning of permanent set as a function of the dimensions of the plate and the tensile properties of the material.

"A mathematical procedure is herein developed for obtaining exact solutions of shear-lag problems in flat panels and box beams: the method is based on the assumption that the amount of stretching of the sheets in the direction perpendicular to the direction of essential normal stresses is negligible. Explicit solutions, including the treatment of cut-outs, are given for several cases and numerical results are presented in graphic and tabular form. The general theory is presented in a from which further solutions can be readily obtained" (p. 1).

Report presenting an analysis of the measurements of drag-angle oscillation of a helicopter rotor made with the helicopter apparatus to determine both the natural frequencies and the damping required to prevent excessive drag-angle-oscillation response to various throttle and control movements. Results regarding symmetrical oscillations, unsymmetrical oscillations, blade damping, and general discussion are provided.

"Results are presented of calculations for the elastic buckling load of a simply supported flat rectangular plate of uniform thickness subjected to unequal compressive stresses at two opposite edges, with a linear variation of stress between the two edges. The difference between the compressive stresses at the two loaded edges is equilibrated by shear stresses along the other two edges. The results show that a plate with a linear stress gradient will buckle at an average stress that is lower, but at a maximum stress that may be appreciably higher, than the uniform compressive buckling stress of the same plate" (p. 1).

Report presenting a wind-tunnel investigation to determine the boundary-layer and stalling characteristics of the NACA 63-009 airfoil section. Pressure distributions, tuft studies, and boundary-layer measurements were obtained. A localized region of flow separation was found to develop on the upper surface of the airfoil near the leading edge.

Note presenting an investigation of the effect of varying the design of supersonic biplanes to determine the configuration required for optimum aerodynamic performance. The investigation was mainly concerned with biplanes with lower and upper airfoils of equal chord length and of triangular cross section.

"A detailed table of the standard equilibrium velocity and standard equilibrium time is presented for bodies falling in the standard atmosphere. This table gives the velocity at various altitudes and the time of fall from sea level to -4000 feet and from 80,000 feet to sea level. In addition to this standard table, there are given short tables and charts of an open-parachute descent and free-falls; the terminal velocity at sea level, and the variation of the weight-to-drag ratio (2w/cds)1/2 for various weight jumpers from 90 to 30 feet in open-parachute descent; and estimations of drag coefficients of silk and nylon parachutes" (p. 1).

Report presenting a wind-tunnel investigation to determine the effect of length-beam ratio on the aerodynamic characteristics of a family of flying-boat hulls in the presence of a wing. The hulls were designed to have approximately the same hydrodynamic performance with respect to spray and resistance characteristics. Results regarding the two-dimensional and three-dimensional mounting setups, drag reduction, and aerodynamic refinement effects are provided.

"Ten 24S-T alclad cylinders of 20-inch diameter, 45- or 58-inch length, and 0.012-inch wall thickness, reinforced with 24S-T aluminum alloy stringers and rings were tested in pure bending. In the middle of the compression side of the cylinders there was a cutout extending over 19 inches in the longitudinal direction, and over an angle of 45 degrees, 90 degrees, or 135 degrees in the circumferential direction. The strain in the stringers and in the sheet covering was measured with metal electric strain gages. The stress distribution in the cylinders deviate considerably from the linear law valid for cylinders without a cutout" (p. 1).

"This report is the result of the first part of a broad program to analyze the transient motions of a helicopter, which occur in the various phases of flight following power failure" (p. 1).

"This report is the second phase of a broad program of study of the transient motions of helicopters in autorotative flight. The first phase (reference 1) dealt with the steady-state condition of autorotative vertical descent. This report is concerned with the the transition from the steady condition of hovering to the steady autorotative descent" (p. 1).

Report presenting an investigation in the free-spinning tunnel to determine the effect of horizontal-tail position on rudder hinge moments in simulated spinning conditions. Hinge-moment measurements were made on an unbalanced rudder on a rectangular vertical tail at six positions on the horizontal tail. Results regarding rudder hinge moments, tuft tests, and application of the hinge-moment data are provided.

Report presenting charts for calculating the combustion temperatures and temperature changes involved in constant-pressure thermodynamic processes of air and the products of combustion of air and hydrocarbon fuels. Examples for different types of fuel and temperature calculation using the charts are also provided.

Note presenting a theoretical solution for the critical stress of thin-walled cylinders loaded in torsion. The results are presented in terms of simple formulas and curves which are applicable to a wide range of cylinder dimensions. The theoretical results are found to be in fairly good agreement with experimental results.

"A theoretical solution is presented for the buckling stress of long plates with transverse curvature loaded in shear. The results are given in the form of curves and formulas for plates with simply supported or clamped edges for a wide range of plate dimensions. Comparisons are made with theoretical solutions obtained in previous investigations" (p. 1).

"A theoretical solution is presented for the determination of the combinations of direct axial stress and torsion which cause thin-walled cylinders with either simply supported or clamped edges to buckle. This theoretical solution is used in conjunction with available test data to develop empirical curves and formulas for use in design. Comparisons are made with theoretical and empirical solutions obtained in other investigations" (p. 1).

Note presenting a theoretical solution for the buckling stresses of long plates with transverse curvature loaded in shear and longitudinal direct stress. The theoretical critical-stress combinations for plates with either simply supported or clamped edges are given in figures and tables and a comparison is made with previous theoretical solutions. Results regarding the theoretical results, empirical results and design curves, and some interaction formulas are provided.

From Introduction: "In references 1, 2, and 3, flight measurements of the performance of a conventional, single-rotor helicopter equipped with its production fabric-covered main rotor blades are presented."

Report presenting an investigation to develop theoretical methods of treating the motions of hydrofoil systems and to determine some important parameters. Variations in the parameters include three distributions of area between the hydrofoils, two rates of change of downwash angle with angle of attack, three depths of immersion, two dihedral angles, two rates of change of lift with immersion, three longitudinal hydrofoil spacings, two radii of gyration in pitching, and various horizontal and vertical locations of the center of gravity.

Note presenting an investigation of the use of measured static pressures in a vaneless-diffuser passage for determining centrifugal-compressor performance. The general effects of diffuser-wall-surface friction were studied to locate the regions in the vaneless-diffuser passage where the most valid evaluation can be made by the static-pressure method.

Report presenting a method for estimating the control forces of spring-tab ailerons from nonlinear wind-tunnel data. Two principal arrangements of the ailerons and spring unit were used, one with the ailerons interconnected and a central spring unit and an arrangement with no interconnection between the ailerons with individual preloaded spring units for each aileron.

Report presenting a method for calculating the local buckling strength of lipped Z-columns with a small lip width. Some experimental data are presented to show agreement between theoretical and experimental results.

Report presenting a method for the calculation of the buckling stress of a multiweb wing in bending as well as design charts based on this method for the minimum-weight design of 24S-T aluminum alloy sheets, extruded 75S-T aluminum alloy, and extruded 0-1HTA magnesium alloy. An example of the use of the charts is also provided.