Aerodynamic Theory of the Oscillating Wing of Finite Span

The theory of the oscillating airfoil of infinite span with two-dimensional flow has been developed to a high degree of completeness (ref. 4, 7) In the present theory the oscillating airfoil of finite span is considered with the purpose of introducing the effect, of the trailing vortices and the three dimensional characters of the velocity field, on the aerodynamics forces. General formulae are established for the lift and moment on an elliptic airfoil oscillating in both translation and rotation and the numerical results are presented in tabular and graphical form.