260 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1955 



were added ; these were limited in distribution for reasons of military 

 security or because they contained proprietai'y information. 



Recognizing the importance of knowing what was available in the 

 aeronautical literature of the world, Dr. Ames had been instrumental 

 in the formation of an Office of Aeronautical Intelligence as an inte- 

 gral part of the Committee's program, and for years he served both 

 as its director and as chairman of the NACA's subcommittee on 

 publications and intelligence. Begiiming soon after World War I 

 and continuing (except for a break in World War II) until 1950, the 

 Committee maintained a technical assistant in Europe. From 1921 

 the post was held by John Jay Ide, who faithfully and intelligently 

 served the NACA both as European reporter and in a liaison capacity 

 with foreign aeronautical research organizations. It was decided in 

 1950 to close the NACA's European office because the art and science 

 of aeronautics had become too complex for reportage by a one-man 

 bureau. International interchange of information is now handled by 

 other means. 



Beginning in 1926, the Committee sponsored an annual conference 

 at the Langley Laboratory with representatives of the military serv- 

 ices and the industry. In addition to the opportunity to see what the 

 NACA was doing, guests had an occasion to criticize and to suggest 

 new research on problems they felt were especially pressing. In the 

 first years of the conference, "everyone" from the industry and the 

 military services attended ; even so, the guest list numbered little more 

 than 200, and the journey to and from Langley, via Potomac River 

 steamer, resulted in many unofficial but profitable sessions. After 

 World War II, it became necessary to provide two types of meetings : 

 (1) Technical conferences concerned with a specific subject, usually 

 classified for security reasons, e. g., supersonic aerodynamics. (2) 

 Inspections. Held annually, on a rotating basis at each laboratory, 

 the NACA inspections seek to give the industry and military services 

 a comprehensive view of technical progress. As many as 1,500 attend 

 these meetings, which are not classified. 



Also of importance from the standpoint of communication is a 

 steady traffic of industry and military visitors to NACA research 

 centers. Much is accomplished by discussion of matters of specific 

 concern to those involved. No less important are the visits by NACA 

 technical personnel to specific industry plants. 



Beginning in the mid-thirties, the NACA reported annually to the 

 Congress and to the President that certain European nations were 

 making a determined effort to achieve technical and quantitative 

 supremacy in aeronautics. Each year the Committee's comments on 

 this subject were stronger. In 1937, for example, Dr. Ames reported : 

 "The greatly increased interest of the major powers in fostering aero- 

 nautical research and their determined efforts to excel in this rapidly 



