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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 1743.PDF
Editorial Director Editor Assistant Editor - and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER Art Ed/tor - G. GEOFFREY SMITH. M.B.E. C. M. POULSEN MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. (VV/NG CDR., R.A.F.V.R.) - JOHN YOXALL FIRST AERONAUTICAL WEEKLY IN THE WORLD - FOUNDED WO9 Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.I Telegrams : Flightpres, Sedist, London. Telephone : Waterloo 3333 (60 lines.) 8 - 10, COVENTRY: CORPORATION ST. BIRMINGHAM, 2: MANCHESTER, 3 : GLASGOW. C.2.KING EDWARD HOUSE, 260, DEANSGATE. 7zB RcuFIFIn <• T_, . _ EW STREET. Telegrams : 111 f f e, Manchester _, Te/egroms : Autocar, Coventry. Telegrams : Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone: Blackfriars 4412(3 lines) Te/egroms : Hiffe, Glasgow. Telephone : Coventry 5210. Telephone: Midland 7191 (7 lines). Deansgate 3595 (2 lines) Telephone: Central 4857 No. 2078. Vol. LIV SUBSCRIPTION RATES : Home and Abroad : Year, £3 I 0. 6 months, £1 10 6. October 21st, 1948 Thursdays, One Shilling Outlook Worth the Money - "M ANY different views have been expressed con- cerning the Bristol Brabazon. Some have held that it is a white elephant which can never be made to pay for itself. Others have professed to see in it the sole champion of British prestige in the air. The sane view is, of course, that it is neither. The statement by the Minister of Supply at Filton the other day that the total cost of the first machine will be just under £12 million hit the headlines with a bang, but in fairness to the daily press it must be admitted that it gave as much prominence to Mr. Strauss's pronouncement that he considered the cost fully justified. This is the first time a Government spokesman of such high standing has made a definite statement on the subject, and as such it is to be welcomed. There is no reason to believe that the Brabazon will #fciave any serious vices. After all, its general layout is orthodox, and thus any uncertainty there might be would arise from its size. It is precisely this factor which has caused the first machine to cost so much. It must be remembered, and taken into account, that nearly one- half of the superficially staggering cost is accounted for by land, runway, hangars, and the vast amount of re- search and testing made necessary by the size of the aircraft. If, subsequently, several versions were to be built, that part of the cost would be spread over them. Even so, the sums involved would be such that no operating com- pany could possibly assume the burden, nor would it be reasonable to expect it to do so. The Brabazon is an experiment in size, and the knowledge gained during its construction and testing will be of great value for „ application to other projects. Thus the price of gaining that knowledge can fairly be regarded as a national responsibility. < It has often been said that the Brabazon could not be operated economically. Mr. Peter Masefield appears to have come to a different conclusion. In his British Com- monwealth and Empire Lecture to the Royal Aeronau- tical Society he stressed the importance of the aircraft being designed specifically for the route, and in that part of his lecture which we summarized last week he gave figures which showed that the Brabazon was the most economical type for stage lengths from 2,350 miles up to its maximum of 3,920 miles. Moreover, it is the only type capable of regularly making the direct non- stop flight between London and New York against the average head wind and still make a profit. Mr. Masefield also showed that the Brabazon should have a lower hourly cruising cost per ton than five of the other six aircraft types with which it was compared. In the matter of take-off and landing cost per landing, the Brabazon achieved the lowest figure of all the types, with £3 19s 4d per ton. Air PowerT HE Air League of the British Empire launched its campaign for funds at a reception held at London- derry House last week. The gathering was one of the most distinguished which the League has ever got together, and it is to be hoped that all those present will use their influence to raise the sums which are neces- sary if the League is to achieve its aims. As Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip Joubert said in his appeal, these aims deserve the widest support. They were stated to be: Invincible air power; a strong Air Training Corps; a powerful Empire aircraft industr /; efficient civil air services; research and development on an adequate scale ; encouragement of private flying; and facilities for aeronautical eduction and training. No one could find fault with these aims. Their fulfil- ment is necessary to the future of the British Common- wealth. But as Lord Tedder said at the reception, although almost every one agrees in a vague and general way that air power is essential, the country as a whole
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