§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Air what firms in this country are manufacturing all-metal aeroplanes; if his attention has been called to the intention to use Junker three-engined all-metal monoplanes on the Cape Town-Johannesburg route on the grounds that no suitable British machine is available at the same price; and what information he has on this subject?
§ Sir S. HOAREAs regards the first part of the question, most of the British aircraft manufacturers have made experimental aircraft of all-metal structure during the past few years, six have brought such aircraft to the production stage, and two have constructed aeroplanes 1355W planes of which the covering as well as the structure was of metal. As regards the remaining parts of the question, I understand that there is at present no British commercial machine in existence or under design which is strictly comparable to the Junker in so far as the latter machine is of all-metal construction and entirely covered in metal, but that the price is no cheaper than that of British-built aeroplanes which will carry the same load. The service in question is not, of course, to be subsidised from the Exchequer, and it is entirely for the South African authorities to decide the type and origin of the aircraft to be employed upon it.