The velocities induced by distributions of infinite kinked source and vortex lines representing wings with sweep and dihedral in incompressible flow

Abstract

Equations have been derived for the velocities induced in an incompressible flow by distributions of infinite source and vortex lines representing wings of infinite span and constant chord having both sweep and dihedral. Particular attention is paid to the centre section where the dihedral effects are large. The equations showed that such a source distribution does not represent a wing with symmetrical sections, and that such a vortex distribution does not represent a thin wing. It is, therefore, not possible to separate the effects of wing thickness and wing load distribution, even when linear-theory assumptions are retained. This work was done before the widespread use of electronic computers to calculate wing characteristics. It is published now to illustrate the complex nature of the equations for the velocities induced by nonplanar singularity distributions.