Development of the Handbook of Allowables

In 1937, the Army-Navy-Commerce (ANC) Committee on Aircraft Requirements prepared the ANC-5 Bulletin.  It contained design information for column, thin-walled sections and property design values for steel, aluminum and magnesium alloys, wood, and design allowables for joints, fittings and parts.  In 1946 the United States Air Force sanctioned the creation of a database to include physical and mechanical properties of aerospace materials. This database was created in 1958 and dubbed Military Handbook-5 (or MIL-HDBK-5 for short). This document was updated and republished by the Air Force 35 times since 1958.  The final version of MIL-HDBK-5, Revision J was published approximately April 1, 2003.  Concurrently, the first edition of the Metallic Properties Development and Standardization (MMPDS) Handbook was published.  It is important to note that subsequent updates and revisions will only be made to the MMPDS Handbook. As a result, MIL-HDBK-5 has been reclassified as non current approximately April, 2004.  Want More History?