§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Minister of Aviation whether any useful information on the problems of kinetic heating was obtained from the T188 aircraft research programme, in view of the failure of the aircraft to reach its designed speed.
§ Mr. AmeryYes. Because of the curtailment of the programme we have not obtained the flight experience on kinetic heating which we had hope to obtain from the T188. We have nevertheless obtained considerable information on this problem during the design and development of the aircraft. This has enabled us to proceed with the corresponding work on the TSR2 and Concord with greater confidence and speed than would otherwise have been possible.
§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Minister of Aviation what continued research is 116W being made into the use of stainless steel for the construction of high speed aircraft, in view of the cancellation of the T188 aircraft research programme.
§ Mr. AmeryUnder our general programme of research into structures and materials, investigations are being carried out at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, in the aircraft industry and, of course, in the steel industry into new types of stainless steel. As a new type emerges, its suitability for aircraft construction is carefully evaluated. For example, we are now investigating the properties of the precipitation hardening type of stainless steel which can be more easily worked than former types. The curtailment of the T188 research programme will not hamper this general research.