Lift developed on unrestrained rectangular wings entering gusts at subsonic and supersonic speeds

The object of this report is to provide an estimate, based on theoretical calculations, of the forces induced on a wing that is flying at a constant forward speed and suddenly enters a vertical gust. The calculations illustrate the effects of Mach number (from 0 to 2) and aspect ratio (2 to infinity), and solutions are given by means of which the response to gusts having arbitrary distributions of velocity can be calculated. The effects of pitching and wing bending are neglected and only wings of rectangular plan form are considered. Specific results are presented for sharp-edged and triangular gusts and various wing-air density ratios.