safetypee refers to some UMIST /BAE probes in the late 1990's. I went searching.
First, a correction. UMIST was an autonomous university from 1993 until 2004, so at the time the work took place. It is *now* part of the University of Manchester.
I found the home page of the FAAM aircraft, a BA146 commissioned for performing atmospheric measurements, with a list of all its current projects, including some which might be related.
FAAM was commissioned in 2001, though, and is based at Cranfield.
I found one 1999 AIAA paper which might be related, by Strapp et al, including authors from UMIST, BA Regional Aircraft, and RR, entitled
Cloud Microphysical Measurements in Thunderstorm Outflow Regions During Allied/BAE 1997 Flight Trials. The experiments were conducted in the southern and midwest US. I don't know if this is the work to which safetypee was referring.
That's all I found so far. Can anybody help with more sources?
PBL