Induced drag and the ideal wake of a lifting wing

fThe editors of the Journal recognize that this article is controversial. However, in the spirit of providing a forum for authors to express new ideas or to give alternate interpretations of old ideas, we are publishing it. Nomenclature a = rearward component of wake velocity relative to fluid at infinity OQ = rearward component of fluid velocity relative to fluid at infinity at a plane upstream of the wing dE(front)/dt = rate of accumulation of energy in the part of the wake forward of a plane fixed relative to fluid at infinity