A Comprehensive review of British contributions to aerodynamics would fill many volumes and take years to compile. For while some aspects of the science are embarrassingly well documented—every library possesses the monumental reports of the Aeronautical Research Council from 1909 onwards and the no less compendious Journals of the Society—other aspects are hardly illuminated at all.

Progress in aerodynamics has flowed in three main streams springing from the work of, first the research establishments and universities, second design offices and flight sections of the aircraft industry and third, the flying schools of the RAF.