Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
Modern developments in materials, and the possibilities they offer in present and future engineering, make up a subject on which there has been no shortage of publications in recent years. It would not be possible, in a single article, to review the likely future developments in all the materials of interest to aeronautics; in any case some detailed references have already been made to this subject in other articles, notably that by Molyneux (July JOURNAL) on structural engineering. The point of view adopted here is rather more long-ranging, and certainly more speculative. A separate specialist contribution is being provided on polymeric materials in a later paper in this series and these are not, therefore, examined in any detail here.