Aerodynamics of bodies of revolution in coning motion.

Nonlinear functional analysis is used to show that the moments for an arbitrary motion about the center of gravity may be compounded of the sum of contributions from 4 simple motions, 3 of which are well known. The fourth, coning motion, is investigated experimentally with an apparatus designed to reproduce the coning motion in a wind-tunnel. Photographs of the vortices on the leeward side of the body reveal that they become asymmetrically disposed with respect to the angle-of-attack plane during coning motion. This makes them a potent source of side moment. The contribution of the vortices to side moment appears to be proportional to their contribution to pitching moment during steady planar motion multiplied by the turning rate of the angle-of-attack plane during coning motion. The moment is a potential causative agent in the occurrence of large-amplitude circular limit motions.