HC Deb 08 May 1946 vol 422 cc102-6W
Air-Commodore Harvey

asked the Minister of Supply if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the specifications of aircraft and engines referred to in the letter sent to him by the hon. and gallant Member for Macclesfield on 11th April, 1946, together with those aircraft likely to be in production before the end of 1947.

Mr. Wilmot:

Following is the information for which the hon. and gallant Member asked:

A.—TYPES OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT AT PRESENT IN PRODUCTION.
1 Tudor I A. V. Roe 4 X 1,660 h.p Merlin 600 (later Merlin 62I) Range 4,200 miles. Accommodation for 12 night or 24 day passengers. 78,000 245 m.p.h. at 25,000 ft.
2 Tudor II A. V. Roe 4 X 1,660 h.p. Merlin 600 (later Merlin 621) Range approx. 2,500 miles. Accommodation for 40 day and 20 night passengers. 80,000 245 m.p.h. at 25,000 ft.
3 Solent Short Bros 4 X 1.725 h.p. Hercules XX Flying Boat. Range approx. 2,500 miles. Civil version of RAF Seaford. Accommodation for 24 passengers and 8,500 lbs. freight. 75,000 185 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft.
4 Lancastrian III A. V. Roe 4 X 1,610 h.p. Merlin T 24/2 Range approx. 2.760 miles. Accommodation for 13 day passengers or 6 night. 65,000 200 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft.
5 York A. V. Roe 4 X 1,610 h.p. Merlin T 24/2 Range approx. 3,000 miles. Accommodation varies for from 12 to 24 passengers plus freight. 65,000 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 ft.
6 Halton Short & Harland 4 X 1,675 h.p. Hercules 100 Range approx. 2,400 miles. Accommodation for to day passengers and freight up to 6,600 lbs. Conversion of Halifax bomber. 65,000 200 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft.
7 Sandringham short & Hartano 4 X 1,200 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R. 1830. Conversion of R.A.F. Sunderland V, flying boat. Range approx. 2,500 miles. Accommodation for up to 45 day passengers. 56,000 170 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft.
8 Wayfarer Bristol Aeroplane Co. 2 X 1,675 h.p. Hercules 131 Passenger or freighter aircraft. Range approx. 1,000 miles. Accommodation for 34 day passengers. 35,000 182 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft.
9 Freighter Do. 2 X 1,675 h.p. Hercules 131 Range approx. 1,000 miles. Load 3½–4 tons
10 Viking Vickers Armstrongs 2 X 1,675 h.p. Hercules 130 Range approx. 1,000 miles Accommodation for 21-–27 day passengers. 34,500 240 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft.
11 Junkers 52 Short & Harland 3 X 600 h.p. BMW 132. Range about 1,050 miles. Conversion. Accomodation for 12 assengers and stewardess. 23,100 105 m.p.h. at 3,000 ft.
12 Avro XIX A. V. Roe 2 X 420 h.p. Cheetah XV Range 600 miles. Accommodation 6–9 day passengers. 9,770 155 m.p.h. at 5,000 ft.
13 Dove De Havilland 2 X 330 h.p. Gipsy Queen 71 Range approx. 500 miles. Accommodation for 8–10 passengers. 8,000 160 m.p.h. at 5,000 ft.
Consul Airspeed 2 X 410 h.p. Cheetah X Conversion of Oxford. Range approx. 980 miles. Accommodation for 5 passengers. 7,900 122 m.p.h. at 5,000 ft.
15 Rapide (Dominie) De Havilland 2 X 185 h.p. Gipsy Queen III. Range over 900 miles. Accommodation for 5 passengers. 6,000 120 m.p.h. at 5,000 ft.
16 Aerovan Miles Aircraft 2 X 158 h.p. Cirrus Major. Range approx. 450 miles. Payload 2,000 lbs. (Freighter) or accommodation for 10 passengers. 5,400 (Passenger version) 5,800 (Freighter)
17 Proctor Percival Aircraft 1 X 210 h.p. Gipsy Queen II Range approx. 600 miles. Accommodation for 4 passengers. 3,500 140 m.p.h. at 5,000 ft.
18 Gemini Miles Aircraft 2 X 101 h.p. Cirrus Minor II Range approx. 500 miles. Seats 4–5 3,000 130 m.p.h.
19 Messenger Miles Aircraft 1 X 140 h.p. Gipsy Major or 1 X 158 h.p Cirrus Major Range approx. 450 miles. Accommodation or 4 passengers. 2,425 100 m.p.h. at 2,000 ft.
Auster Auster Aircraft (a) 1 X 65 h.p Franklin or Continental. Range 200 miles. 2-seater type. 1,400 83 m.p.h.
(b) 1 X 100 h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Range 220 miles. 3-seater type (Autocrat 1850 100 m.p.h.
B.—TYPES OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT LINKELY TO BE IN PRODUCTION BEFORE THE END OF 1947
Brabazon I (*) Bristol Aeroplane Co 8 X 3,500 h.p Proteus. Range 5,000 miles. Accommodation for 72 night passengers. 284,000 350 m.p.h. at 35,000 ft.
Hermes Handley Page 4 X 1,675 h.p. Hercules 100 Range approx. 2,500 miles. Accommodation for 34 to 40 passengers. 75,000 240 m.p.h. at 25,000 ft.
Ambassador Airspeed 2 X 2,520 h.p Centaurus. Range approx. 1,000 miles. Accommodation for 24 to 39 day pasengers. 4,5000 240 m.p.h. at 20,000 ft.
Marathon Miles Aircraft 4 X 330 h.p. Gipsy Queen 71 Range approx. 750 miles. Accommodation 14 day passengers. 16,500 175 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft.
Concordia Cunliffe Owen 2 X 500 h.p. Alvis Leonides Range approx. 1,000 miles Accommodation or to passengers. 11,000 180 m.p.h. at 5,000 ft
Merganser Percival Aircraft 2 X 295 h.p. Gipsy Queen 51 Range approx. 800 miles. Pay load 1,150 bs (including 5 passengers). 6,800 160 m.p.h. at 5,000 ft.
Aerocar Portsmouth Aviation (a) 2 X 158 h.p. Cirrus Major III Range 650 miles. Accommodation for 6 passengers 3,700 140 m.p.h.
(b) 2 X 101 h.p. Cirrus Minor II. Range 830 miles. Accommodation for 5 passengers 3,300 118 m.p.h.
(c) 2 X 101 h.p. Cirrus Minor II Range 770 miles. Accommodation for 6 passengers 3,300 110 m.p.h.
Ace Chrislea Aircraft 1 X 100 h.p. Monaco. Range approx. 400 miles 4 seater 1,650 110 m.p.h.

(*) In this case no actual production deliveries are expected before the end of 1947 but considerable progress should have been made by then in flight trials of the first prototype and work on the production aircraft should be well in hand.

Note.—All ranges quoted are still air ranges, with no other allowances.

All figures are necessarily approximate and are liable to vary with development.