BRITAIN SPEEDS UP ROCKET RESEARCH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 2

BRITAIN SPEEDS UP ROCKET RESEARCH

LONDON. May 30.

The Government has decided to hand over most of the work from its own rocket stations to private firms and thus speed up development of radioguided rockets for anti-aircraft defence says the Daily Express. Requirements will be given to firms, which will produce designs and prototypes, for testing at the huge rocket range being built in Australia. The Government move follows this week's resignation of the 36-year-old Government rocket design chief, Dr. Leslie (“Blockbuster”) Newman, who was chiefly responsible for developing the R.A.F.’s heavy bombs. He will now head the design section of. Armstrong Whitworth, which is the chief firm taking over rocket work. The Daily Express says the Ministry of Supply's chief scientist, Sir Ben Loekspeiser, recommended the transfer to industry for these reasons:—

Failure of the Government rocket station at Westcott, Buckinghamshire, to follow up the German advance in guided missiles. Rapid advances in America, where rocket development has always been in the hands of industrial firms. Scientists Left

The Daily Express says the Government rocket chiefs generally admit that establishment of the Westcott station, which has already cost millions, was a mistake. Material shortages held up the work, and there has been continual loss of trained scientists to industrial firms who offered bigger salaries.

“The policy that will apply to rocket development in the future has been used very successfully by the Air Ministry to get aircraft for the R.A.F.,” the Daily Express says, “Government stations will concentrate on laboratory rocket research, and hand over the results to the manufacturers. A rocket expert commented: 'This change in policy makes Westcott a white elephant. All research could easily he carried out at the aircraft station at Farnborough, Hampshire.’ ”