Fairchild 24 (Argus) - Air Transport Auxilliary

[Peter Chewb]

Hi.

I'm trying to gain some information about this venerable old aircraft.

Specifically I have been trying (without much luck) to gain information and particularly pictures of the Fairchild Argus during service with the Air Transport Auxilliary during the Second World War. There were many hundreds of these aircraft in service during the war yet few photographs survive, particularly colour shots.

A visit to the library at Hendon was unfortunately somewhat unrewarding however there must be some alternative means to obtain this historial data. BA have a nice ATA website though with no Argus photographs and a number of model aircraft have been produced although these fail to provide specific details.

The ultimate aim will be to assist with the restoration of a colleagues' Fairchild to represent one of the EV700-series of aircraft that was based at White Waltham. What we do know is that the aircraft were usually camoflagued on top and yellow underneath, with yellow props and spinners. Earlier registrations we believe were usually completely olive drab (such as the Cosford Museum example).

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

Pete.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I can't add anything other than to suggest you contact Air Britain, where there is bound to be someone who is a specialist on the type.

I've seen about 10 examples, mainly in France, but have only one pic - of G-BCBH at Popham.

[Peter Chewb]

Thanks Heathrow - There's a nice colour picture of EV-776 and 3 other Argus' floating about on the Nostalgair Fairchild website (I hope I'm allowed to paste the URL photolink below) and one B&W of an unidentified a/c but otherwise that's it!

Google Image Result for http://nostalgair.free.fr/azcisans232.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://nostalgair.free.fr/azcisans232.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nostalgair.free.fr/historique.html&h=365&w=622&sz=70&hl=en&start=52&tbnid=iK1XQNAT5Rvr5M:&tbnh=80&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfairchild%2Bargus%26start%3D36%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp %3D18%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DSUNA,SUNA:2006-48,SUNA:en%26sa%3DN)[/IMG]

Yes perhaps Air Britain is worth a shot, Cheers.

[Peter Chewb]

http://nostalgair.free.fr/f24w.jpg

[Peter Chewb]

The above photo is the ONLY color shot I am aware of. It's a fair basis for a restoration but more colour shots would be most welcome.

There are a few B&W images floating about (that assist with accurate orientation etc) such as the one below but they aren't highly detailed....
http://www.roytassell.com/images/fairchild-argus-111.jpg


The Cosford Fairchild looks like this:

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/collections/aircraft/aircraft_images/main_images/f24argus.jpg
There is a gentleman about by the name of Paul Lucas who has produced some great books on RAF Second World War aircraft colour-schemes for I believe Ian Allen publications, however getting his contact details has not been easy.

Aero-modellers are of course another excellent source of information such is their attention to detail.

Any information would be welcome!

[Gordon Fraser]

The Yorkshire Air Musuem at Elvington are currently restoring an Argus - They may be able to assist

[Wunper]

Peter

I can put you in touch with someone who would be delighted to help you, he was in the ATA, flew them & took this picture
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d107/wunper/Argus.jpg

PM me for details

W

[Peter Chewb]

Thanks Wunper...PM sent.

Thanks too Gordon. Visited Elvington a few months back. Still fairly early stages with their lovely machine - paint is a fair way off on their horizon at this stage.

Bit of a Sherlock Holmes effort I think!

[Peter Chewb]

Also, another example, (albeit Ranger-engined) that may prove worthy of using as a 'template' is this lovely machine PH-FAI (R9-418) in Lelystadt in the Netherlands.

Can anybody vouch for the accuracy of the paintscheme?

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled-(Stichting-de/Fairchild-24R-9-Argus/1240117&tbl=photo_info&photo_nr=17&sok=WHERE__%28aircraft_generic_%3D_%27Fairchild_24_%28C-61_ForwarderESCSLASHArgus%29%27%29_&sort=_order_by_photo_id_DESC_&prev_id=1249648&next_id=1196997

[RAYMAC]

Peter,

The Argus we are re-building at Elvington in almost finished externally, including paintwork excepr for the port wing, which should be finished in about 4 weeks time

We will be fitting the wings in the spring and it will be rolled out and dedicated to one of our patrons, Lettis Curtis, who flew with the ATA, we are praying that she will still be alive for the event as she is now in her 90's

Our Argus was based with the ATA at Whitchurch nr Bristol, a wartime and postwar BOAC Base

Once placed in the T2 hangar, we will be continuing work on the interior which we hope to have finished by the end of the year

Best Wishes

Mac
Yorkshire Air Museum Engineering Volunteer

[PPRuNe Pop]

Leisure Sport had an Argus on strength in 1977 - G-AJPI. I flew it in May of that year a few times. Nice to fly and very docile I remember. I have a picture or two somewhere and I'll see if I can dig them out.

I wouldn't mind knowing what happened to it.

[treadigraph]

PPP, 'JPI is still registered with a current c of a, albeit with an owner in Holland:

Pic from the G-INFO site:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/GImages/G-AJPI001.jpg

Cheers

Treadders

[PPRuNe Pop]

Thanks Treadders. Nice to see it but not as I remember!

PPP

[treadigraph]

No nor me. I would imagine that the camoflague when it was with Leisure Sport was probably quite authentic! Presume it may well have been used by the ATA when it was in RAF service?

Interesting to see that it's first registered owner was West London Aero Services at White Waltham in April '47, so a good assocaition with that airfield over the years. First place I ever saw it at the Jubilee show in '77.

[ICT_SLB]

There's an RAF-liveried Fairchild in Kansas of all places. The Combat Air Museum on Forbes Field in Topeka completely rebuilt one as you can see here: Fairchild UC-61K Forwarder (http://www.combatairmuseum.org/aircraft/fairchilduc61forwarder.html) The gentlemen who do this are extremely fastidious - I was lucky enough to see the aircraft during (re)construction - they may well have details of the color scheme used by Fairchild/TEMCO.

They also have a very early B-57 that has the Canberra-style layout rather than the later tandem cockpit.

[Speedbird48]

The color picture shown by Peter Chewb seems to be taken on the ramp at Hagerstown, Maryland where the airplanes were built, so is probably as accurate as you can get. The airplane in the middle of the shot with slightly different paint scheme is a Stinson V-77 (AT-19)

I have seen other color shots of them which I think were on the Fairchild website or at the Hagerstown museum. Tracy Potter at Hagerstown Aircraft would be a good place to start.

I used to live close to Hagerstown, and fly from there, so the memory is not too dim.

Speedbird 48.

[paul pinato]

Hi
Found your forum and to my suprise there is pilots lowing Fairchids. I have just restored one 1943 UC61A 314840 to original condition. Apart some avionocs.
It came out of US Army in 1946 and used in Sweden as a private plane. 1962 it was stored in a barn and forgotten. Started the retaoration in 1988 and was completed 2006. I am looking for pictures from the war time.
paul

[Atcham Tower]

Paul, according to the USAF/USAAF serials website, the batch of aircraft each side of your 43-14840 were allocated to the RAF as the Argus II. Most seem to have been returned to the USAAF in 1946.

[Props]

Lettice and I flew to Elvington to see the Halifax about 5 years ago.She was impressed with my track-keeping until I told her about GPS.
I see her fairly regularly and will mention the Argus.

Props

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

OT... Good to know Lettice is still mobile. Must be well over 40 years ago when I met her briefly at Blackbushe..

[Props]

Heathrow Director,
Lettice is not very mobile these days, the Master of GAPAN presented her ATA Badge to her at her Rest Home because she could not make it to White Waltham for the Main ATA Event.

[chongololo]

I know a guy who restored a Fairchild like that in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
He took me for a ride in it a few years back.
It wouldn't be hard to track him down if you need to.
In fact he restored 2 of them.

[Chuck Notyeager]

There is one F24W-41A in South Africa, previously EV777 (USAAF 41-38841); G-AKJB; ZS-DCX; now Veteran Class ZS-VWO.

I have a picture of this aircraft at Oshkosh, USA. (Yes, they flew it there...) :) but cannot fathom how to insert/paste it here...

Chuck

[Wander00]

I'm sure it was Lettice Curtis who was at WLAC at White Waltham in the early 60s. I was a lordly 17 1/2 year old PPL holder (printing on the licence still wet!), working all week in Sainsbury's to fly on Sundays. A bunch of students currently on their PPL course saw Lettice and as she disappeared one said rudely " I bet she does not fly much". A grown up club member stalked out and returned to drop a book the size of a family bible on the desk - Lettice's log book - stunned and embarrassed silence.