I Should like to raise a point on the projected rear-engined jet air liners now under active consideration by several major British firms and of which “artists’ impressions” have recently been published, the latest being the V.C.10.

The rear-engine layout has so many advantages that its use seems entirely logical, but I am curious to know whether or not such a design has been investigated with a noseplane layout in preference to the conventional tailplane. I have been interested in this possible configuration for some years and put the idea forward in a short Branch lecture at Derby when it appeared that quite a few of those then present agreed in broad principle.