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Dave Greenwood
26th Jun 2010, 17:00
I am currently researching the work of the WW II "Mud Committee" for a chapter in a book to be produced by the Geological Society of London. The Committee investigated the problem of tanks being bogged down in soft ground and as part of their research carried out an aerial survey of coastal sites that might be suitable for tank trials. One of the Committee's reports (MC41A) states:

"An aerial reconnaissance of estuarine areas of the British Isles suggested
by I.S.T.D. [Inter-Service Topographical Department] was undertaken from 21/9 to 26/9/44. A Fairchild aircraft was obtained for this purpose from A.T.A. H.Q. White Waltham."

The editor of the book has asked me if I can find out what type of aircraft
this was and any other details. My own hunch is that it was the Fairchild Model 24 known to the RAF as the Argus and widely used by ATA as their air taxi.

Are records of such flights archived anywhere and if so where?

A. Le Rhone
27th Jun 2010, 08:58
Halfway down page - a rare colour photograph of ATA aircraft.

Google Image Result for http://nostalgair.free.fr/f24ic.jpg (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://nostalgair.free.fr/f24ic.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nostalgair.free.fr/historique.html&usg=__uMDCm6BC3Gg5ctWVtNUZLHDalW8=&h=471&w=300&sz=29&hl=en&start=22&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=cbdwatV8_tsreM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRAF%2BFairchild%2B24%2BATA%26start%3D21%26um%3D 1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3D en%26ndsp%3D21%26tbs%3Disch:1)

Information available from RAF Hendon library, BA website; British Airways - The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) (http://www.britishairways.com/travel/history-ata/public/en_gb)

plus more....

Dave Greenwood
28th Jun 2010, 10:00
Thanks, or should I say "merci". I will follow this up.