Previous work by R. T. Jones on the drag minimisation of elliptic wings is extended to the case of the slewed wing with thickness. These results are used to calculate lift/drag ratios of idealised configurations related to a supersonic transport aircraft. The values of lift/drag ratio and optimum slenderness ratio found are comparable with those calculated earlier in studies of delta-like plan forms.

This paper, which describes a photoelastic determination of the elastic stress concentration factors associated with shouldered shafts subjected to pure bending, forms the second part of an investigation initiated by the Structures Committee of the Royal Aeronautical Society. A general description of the manufacture of the models, the photoelastic technique employed to evaluate the s.c.f. and the results of the tests on shouldered shafts subjected to torsion have been given in Part I (Ref. 1).

Characteristic equations are derived for thin circular shells, based on various approximations to the linear elastic theory of small deformations. By representing the deformation in a Fourier series in the circumferential direction, the roots of these equations are computed for a range of the significant parameters and compared.

Standard techniques of mass-transfer theory are used for the prediction of ablation rates; the thermodynamic and chemical-kinetic material properties are introduced by way of enthalpy-composition diagrams; the interface condition is given as the root of a single non-linear equation involving material properties. The paper treats both steady ablation and unsteady ablation, the latter by means of a quasi-steady assumption which confines transient effects to the solid phase.

Detailed comparisons are made with the methods of Sutton, Bethe and Adams, and Lees. The formulations of the paper are shown to be equivalent to, but more general than, those of the earlier authors; it is suggested that they are simpler as well. Some improvements over previous practice are recommended in connection with the calculation of the shear stress at the interface.

The application of electrical analogue methods to the analysis of the extension and flexure of flat plates is reviewed and the difficulties encountered in the satisfaction of the various boundary conditions are discussed. A new method for treating certain boundary conditions and the operation of the electrical analogue is described. New experimental results for two cases which present great analytical difficulty, the flexure of a plate with a free edge and a plate supported on columns, are given.

By consideration of a series of simple models the static aeroelasticity of conventional aircraft is first discussed and then extended to the integrated configuration combining fuselage, wing and tail. It is shown that, on the basis of linear aerodynamics, a maximum speed exists at which control is possible. Overall deformations and control forces become large at speeds approaching this critical condition. Part II, to be published, contains calculations on slender plate aircraft including non-linear aerodynamics.