A method is developed for designing thin finite wings with prescribed lift distributions. Particular attention is given to wings which, at a certain optimum angle of incidence, have zero loading along the whole leading edge. It is suggested that such a wing will have a greater range of lift coefficient for low drag than other wings with the same plan form.

On the basis of the linearised theory a formula, relating the wing surface to the pressure distribution over the surface, is deduced which differs from the usual potential relationship by avoiding the difficulty of the non-uniform convergence with respect to the normal distance away from the wing surface singularities. The surface integral which is developed includes a regular singularity and a definite limiting process.