§ 37. Mr. de Freitasasked the Secretary of State for Air what Royal Air Force aircraft were exhibited at the static display at the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Air Show in Liege.
§ Mr. C. I. Orr-EwingValiant, Vulcan, and Shackleton aircraft were due to be exhibited in the static display, as were also Bloodhound and Firestreak missiles. As the Valiant and the Vulcan were to take part in the flying display, the organisers found it necessary to ask that they should be parked outside the static enclosure.
§ Mr. de FreitasWhy was it so badly planned? Is it not a fact that, as a result, the only British aircraft in this "shop window"—the static display—were very old indeed—Shackletons—and created a very bad impression on people visiting the show?
§ Mr. Orr-EwingIt is true we had expected that the Vulcan and the Valiant would be parked in the static enclosure but would come out for a flying display 1231 as at Farnborough and Stavanger. It was only at the last moment that the organisers made this ruling, and we had no alternative but to obey it.