PRODUCTION OF COMETS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26856, 8 October 1952, Page 9

PRODUCTION OF COMETS

Suggestion By Sir ’ Frank Whittle

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, October 7. Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, who has just received a Churchill gold medal for the most noteworthy development in engineering in the last two years, claims that the British Overseas Airways Corporation “stifled” a suggestion he made three years ago for 100 Comet jet airliners to be ordered by the Ministry of Supply in anticipation of export as well as 8.0.A.C.’s own needs, says the aviation correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” "This suggestion has since been justified by the success of the plane and the foreign demand,” says the correspondent. He says Sir Frank Whittle told him: •'When it was plain the Comet was going to be a success, I wrote a draft letter to the Ministry making a suggestion. A high corporation official requested me not to send the letter because it was feared that early availability of the plane in quantity would encourage foreign competition. I comflied with this request, but now I wish had disregarded it. As well as bringing in foreign currency, including probably much-needed dollars, such a large order would have allowed the machines to have been produced for a lower price. I have still got the letter.’ The correspondent adds: “Sir Frank Whittle’s suggestion was made shorty before the first Comet made its maiden flight. He was then adviser to the corporation on jet development, a position from which he resigned in July. In* the same month Mr Dudley Williams, M.P., warned the House of Commons that because Sir Frank Whittle had not been consulted on latest airliner developments, the world air lead claimed for Britain might be thrown away.” A 8.0.A.C. spokesman said the corporation had no comment to make on Sir Frank Whittle’s statements.