Air Commodore Harveyasked the Minister of Supply if he is now in a position to make a statement about the Brabazon aircraft and the Princess flying-boat projects.
§ Mr. SandysThese projects consist of two Brabazon land planes and three Princess flying boats. The first Brabazon aircraft, which is powered by Bristol 177W Centaurus piston engines, will continue to carry out development flights.
The second Brabazon and the three Princess aircraft are in various stages of construction. It was earlier intended that they should be fitted in the first instance with Bristol Proteus II propellor turbine engines. However, as the work proceeded, it became evident that great economy would be achieved by waiting for the production of the more powerful Proteus III engines which are not yet available. It has, therefore, been decided to postpone for the time being the work of completing the second Brabazon and the second and third Princesses.
This will release capacity for more immediately needed military and civil aircraft construction and will result in a saving of over £2,000,000 in the coming financial year.
In the meantime, the first Princess flying boat, which is now nearing completion, will be fitted with Proteus II engines, so that experimental test flights can proceed.
The decision does not mean any change of view about the value of large aircraft in general or of these types in particular. There is, of course, no intention of abandoning these two important development projects, on which much money has already been spent.