HC Deb 25 June 1947 vol 439 cc424-6
32. Mr. J. Langford-Holt

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, what aircraft produced by the Blackburn Aircraft Company have been accepted for service by his Department since 1939; which of these types were rejected for any reason; and after what period of service.

Mr. Dugdale

Since 1939, the following types of aircraft produced by the Blackburn Aircraft Company for the Navy have been accepted for service:

  1. (a) The Firebrand torpedo-strike air craft.
  2. (b) The Swordfish torpedo-spotter-reconnaissance aircraft.
  3. (c) The Barracuda torpedo-bomber aircraft.
The Swordfish and Barracuda were designed by the Fairey Aviation Company. None of these aircraft was rejected after service; the Firebrand and Barracuda are in use but the Swordfish has been withdrawn on account of obsolescence.

Mr. Langford-Holt

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the fact that not one of these aircraft used by the Fleet Air Arm has been a success, and that the performance of the Swordfish was completely ruined when the manufacture was taken over by this company, and that at least one of the aircraft taken over by this firm was little more than a flying death trap?

Mr. Dugdale

No, I cannot accept all those statements, and I ask the hon. Member to await the reply to his next Question which, I think, will answer some of them. From my personal experience, the Barracuda is not as bad as all that. I have landed on an aircraft carrier in one myself.

33 and 34. Mr. Langford-Holt

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (I) whether the Board of Admiralty is entirely satisfied with the quality, performance and suitability for naval air service of the Blackburn Firebrand;

(2) for what purpose it is intended to use the Blackburn Firebrand; and for what purpose this aircraft was originally designed.

Mr. John Dugdale

The Firebrand is primarily for torpedo attack. This aircraft was originally designed as a single-seater fighter to be fitted with the Sabre engine. The use of this engine by the Navy had, however, to be given up owing to the greater need of the Royal Air Force. The substitution of another type of engine would have involved a major re-design of the aircraft if it were to fulfil its original function, and before this could have been completed, the aircraft would have been out-dated as a fighter. It was, therefore, decided to develop it for torpedo work. The Firebrand, with the modifications incorporated, has now been cleared for Service use, and the type has satisfactorily completed deck-landing and other tests. A new squadron of Firebrands has just been formed and these aircraft are likely to be retained for front line service until a more modern type is available.

Mr. Langford-Holt

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this aircraft has reached Mark IV before even going into service with one squadron and that even today far the greater part of its time is spent on the ground on account of unservice-ability? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Firebrand is now out of date?

Mr. Dugdale

Every aircraft becomes out of date extremely quickly, but this aircraft is in use, and will be in use until a better type is evolved.

Mr. Langford-Holt

This has been messed about with for five years.

Mr. Mikardo

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that the contact between the designers of the Fleet Air Arm and constructors is sufficiently close, and that it takes place at a sufficiently early stage in development?

Mr. Dugdale

Yes, I am so satisfied and I wish to make it perfectly clear that had the original plans gone through, this plane would have been in service long ago. But at that moment the needs of the Royal Air Force were considered paramount and the needs of this particular plane for the Navy were sacrificed for that purpose at the time.