both alarming and persuasive. HMG can be merciless to aviation companies that do not bend to its will. Sir Frederick Handley Page demurred from joining one of the two new groupings required of him. His Herald (with flatbed height sills) lost the bid for a short range tactical transport, and the RAF got the turkey all kneeling Andover instead.
There was a fascinating article in an old copy of Flypast I think, they had to be able to land and take off from unprepared land and a ploughed section was prepped by a runway, the Herald trounced the Andover in all tests, it was even going to have a ramp similar to the Herc, but UK PLC refused to purchase it due to HP wanting to remain independent.