Today’s Aluminum Aircraft Alloys

Abstract

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">INASMUCH as new developments in the field of aluminum alloys are immediately reflected in the aircraft industry, the author of this paper reviews past and present achievements which relate directly to aviation needs of the future. The alloys in use today are described as satisfactory. They have been brought to this point by intensive research leading to high strength, resistance to corrosion and fatigue, and ease of fabrication.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">A clearer understanding of the problems associated with present alloys is responsible for the presentation of successful new alloys. The author describes how a recent newcomer, 75S, has already attained dominance in the extrusion field, and has made measurable inroads in the sheet, plate, and forging fields.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">He also describes how military demands for alloys of higher and higher strengths have led to a complete revision of concepts concerning elongation, followed by a reappraisal of the need for artificial aging.</div></div>