HC Deb 20 July 1953 vol 518 cc37-40

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

79. Mr. BESWICK

To ask the Minister of Supply what further use is to be made of the Brabazon aircraft.

At the end of Questions—

The Minister of Supply (Mr. Duncan Sandys)

I will, with permission, answer Question No. 79.

The Brabazon I has carried out nearly 400 hours of trial flying, and I am satisfied that all possible technical information has now been obtained from this experimental aircraft.

Neither the civil airlines nor the fighting Services can foresee any economic use for the Brabazon lor for the uncompleted Brabazon II, on which I stopped work in February, 1952. I have, therefore, come to the conclusion that we should not be justified in incurring any further expenditure on these aircraft. I have accordingly directed that they should be dismantled. Any components and equipments of use for experimental or educational purposes will, of course, be preserved.

The Brabazon project has provided important scientific information, particularly on methods of reducing structural weight and overcoming stresses in large airframes, and also in connection with the development of more efficient power controls and electrical systems. The knowledge and experience gained have been of much assistance to our aircraft industry and have been embodied in the designs of some of our newest types of civil and military aircraft. Therefore, although it has been costly, this project has made a most valuable contribution to the progress of British aviation.

Mr. Beswick

While regretting in some way this end of what was a most imaginative project, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he can say, in particular, whether any lessons learnt in the flying of the Brabazon have been applied to the Britannia, which, we hope, will prove one of the most successful British aircraft?

Mr. Sandys

Most certainly, Sir. In particular, those which I mentioned about the lightening of structural weight and about stresses have played a most valuable part in the development of the Britannia.

Air Commodore Harvey

While appreciating what my right hon. Friend says about the knowledge which has been gained, may I ask whether he can say why his predecessor did not stop production of the second Brabazon sooner? Will my right hon. Friend also say what has been the total expenditure upon the two types?

Mr. Sandys

I do not think that my hon. and gallant Friend's first supplementary question is one to which I should be asked to reply. As to his second, the original estimate was that this would cost £4 million. Already, about £6½ million has been spent or committed, and if we continued work to complete the second Brabazon an additional £2 million would be required. That is for the two aircraft alone, apart from the cost of the runway and the assembly building.

Mr. G. R. Strauss

Is it not a fact that the Brabazon I was built originally, by general agreement of all parties and experts, as an experiment and that it was never intended that the Brabazon should carry passengers? Was it not purely an experimental machine? Can the right hon. Gentleman say anything at all about the possible development of the other large-scale aircraft, the Princess naval aircraft? Is there any likelihood that that may be developed further?

Mr. Sandys

The right hon. Gentleman is quite right when he says that the Brabazon I was built purely as an experimental machine and that there was never any intention that it should be used for any other purpose. On the other hand, the Brabazon II was intended to become a forerunner of a commercial type, but it has been superseded by the Comet and the Britannia. The Princess project is quite a separate matter and I hope that nothing I have said will be regarded as implying that it is being scrapped. The hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Beswick) has a Question down for next Monday on this very matter, and I do not think I should anticipate it.

Mr. Nicholson

My right hon. Friend said that the cost was about £6½ million apart from ground and installation expenditure. Can he give any figure for the ground and installation expenditure and say whether it represents a total loss?

Mr. Sandys

There are two main items, the extra long runway at Filton and the assembly building in which the Braba-zons were built and are now housed. These together cost £6 million, but let me make it quite clear that there is no question whatsoever of this being a total loss. On the contrary, the runway is an extremely valuable asset which is still owned by the Crown, and so is the assembly building. It is in the assembly building that the Britannia is being built. The floor space which will now be made vacant by the dismantling of the Brabazons will at once be used for the production of the Britannia.

Mr. Woodburn

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Brabazon was one of many projects suggested by the famous Brabazon Committee, the total result of which has taken this country ahead of the world in the development of aircraft?

Mr. Sandys

I am very glad of this opportunity to pay my tribute to the Brabazon Committee and to its Chairman, Lord Brabazon, and that the right hon. Gentleman has reminded the House that the Committee produced not only this project but also a number of others. including the idea of the Comet.

Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewing

Can my right hon. Friend say whether, before the decision to dismantle the Brabazon I was taken, consideration was given to fitting it up for trooping, how much this would have cost and how long it would have taken to carry out the project?

Mr. Sandys

Most certainly, Sir. In my reply I said that the civil airlines and the fighting Services could not foresee any economic use for either of the aircraft. I have certainly tried to sell it to the Services and to the airlines, but it is quite an uneconomic proposition to run one aircraft of a type and have to manufacture spares for it as required.