POLYMORPHS FOR PASSENGERS Sia,—A sharp reprimand has been given to
my typist* (or the mistake in the date given in my article for Sir Harry Legge-Bourke's first mention of the Swallow variable sweep aircraft in the House of Commons. My original notes had the correct date.
Sir Harry speaks of government departments being 'frightened off' the project by the likely cost. It is because government departments do not have the courage to back brilliant aeronautical ideas, or because they are incapable of recognising their merits, that Britain is failing to benefit from the work of its inventors.
Sir Frederick Handley Page has just died. He had been unjustly and—in my view- -disgracefully 'disciplined' by the Minister of Aviation for refusing to join in the Government's silly commercial group- ing plans. His company's schemes for laminar flow ,aircraft have still not received the official support they deserve. Is it lack of ability in the Ministry of Aviation or plain incompetence?
* I am my own typist.
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