Abstract: An airplane having a fuselage, a high wing projecting from the upper part of the fuselage to either side first at an upward angle and then slightly downwardly whereby said wing presents a gull wing frontal contour, fins to either side and forward of and at the bottom of the fuselage with ducted fans nested to the wing under the high point of the gull wing frontal contour to be unobstructed thereby.

Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing airplane has a plurality of rotors which are positioned selectively about the center of balance of the airplane so that it can hover upon failure of any one of the rotors. Each rotor is driven by an associated steam propulsion unit and the rotors and propulsion units are constructed so that they may be tilted about their lateral axes from vertical lift positions to horizontal propulsion positions while the airplane is in flight. The working fluid upon which the propulsion units operate is supplied from two or more combustion centers which are separated from the propulsion units, and which produce a high pressure steam-combustion product mixture, automatically at a constant pressure, which is routed to a common pressure system for powering the individual propulsion units. Should one of the fuel combustion centers fail, the steam pressure requirements are provided for automatically by the remaining fuel combustion centers.

Abstract: A convertiplane having control apparatus for modification of the control signals during the course of transition in either direction between a helicopter mode and the aircraft mode. The convertiplane has at least one pylon rotatable about a lateral axis, positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the convertiplane to a position normal to the axis for selective operation in the airplane mode and in the helicopter mode, respectively. Rotor blades are provided on each pylon with a control linkage responsive to pilot input in the helicopter mode to vary the collective and cyclic pitch of the rotor blades. Drive linkages are provided to change the pylons from one mode position to the other mode position. Control linkages are operatively associated in synchronism with the drive linkages to alter the authority of the pilot control to change the pitch of the blade during transition.

Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft having a tail assembly supporting structure which is pivotally connected to the fuselage, and having a shrouded fan driven by an engine submerged in the fuselage, the shrouded fan being connected to and rotatable with the tail supporting structure so as to direct the slipstream of the shrouded fan over the tail assembly at all times.

Abstract: Strong, lightweight structural shapes or structures adapted for anistropic load bearing useful as structural beams or stiffeners for other structures, e.g., aircraft and which prevent or have improved resistance to forces tending to peel apart the structures, i.e., incipient peel. The shapes are fabricated from plicated laminates of strips or sheets of resinous, filament reinforced, composite materials having high strength and low weight. Fabrication of the shapes is carried out in such manner that upon curing of the resin the resultant stiffener shapes are capable of distributing loading forces so as to reduce localization of stresses.

Abstract: Strong, lightweight structural shapes or structures adapted for anistropic load bearing useful as structural beams or stiffeners for other structures, e.g., aircraft and which prevent or have improved resistance to forces tending to peel apart the structures, i.e., incipient peel. The shapes are fabricated from plicated laminates of strips or sheets of resinous, filament reinforced, composite materials having high strength and low weight. Fabrication of the shapes is carried out in such manner that upon curing of the resin the resultant stiffener shapes are capable of distributing loading forces so as to reduce localization of stresses.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced plastic article of manufacture having a multi-chambered, cellular structure with an outer shell having a fluid foil shape with a leading edge having a smooth radius of curvature and a trailing edge [noncircular]cross section over a substantial portion of its length and containing therein an inner shell which extends between at least two opposite interior walls of said outer shell thereby defining at least two chambers within said article, the walls of said shells being composed of a plastic having embedded therein at least on layer of a continuous roving of a fibrous reinforcement material, said at least one layer comprising two adjacent thicknesses of said roving with the rovings being in parallel alignment in each thickness and the rovings being in parallel alignment in each thickness and in diagonal orientation between thicknesses and with the rovings in the outer shell being continuous and unbroken over the leading edge of said foil shape.

Abstract: This invention relates to marine skimmer craft that is, watercraft of the kind that is only partially immersed and skims along the surface of the water under propulsion, the craft being supported at least partly by aerodynamic force produced by suitable support structure. According to this invention the support structure comprise wings located in at least two planes: each wing consists of at least two wing panels joinable by their mutually adjacent lateral edges whereby the number of wing panels actually used may be selected in dependence upon the desired lift characteristics and the desired position of the center of gravity of the craft as a whole. As an example, two wing panels may be arranged in one plane on either side of the craft and four wing panels in another plane above its stern.