Air Transport Auxilary

[vintage ATCO]

I barely knew my father-in-law, only met him twice before he died, before we got married. He flew with the ATA in the war and I have just been giving one of his log books to look through.

It covers the period 24 July 1941 to 14 Aug 1944. During that time he flew the following types (dates are first flight on type as '1st pilot'.)

Miles Magister
Mile Hawk
Tiger Moth
Piper Cub Coupe
Whitney Straight
Puss Moth (5 Dec 41)
Swordfish (11 Dec 41)
Harvard (17 Feb 42)
Master (19 Feb 42)
Fairy Battle (17 Mar 42)
Master II
Albacore (19 Mar 42)
Master III
Hurricane (3 May 42)
Hurricane II
Stinson Vigilant (7 May 42)
Fairchild (17 May 42)
Spitfire V (16 Jun 42)
Spitfire Vb
Spitfire IIb
Mustang I (3 Aug 42)
Mustang II (3 Aug 42)
Defiant I (19 Aug 42)
'Tropical Spit' (23 Aug 42)
Seafire I (26 Sep 42)
Hector (25 Oct 42)
Avro Tutor (1 Nov 42)
Defiant II
Audax (8 Jan 43)
Miles Mentor (26 Feb 43)
Proctor (18 Mar 43)
Oxford (8 Apr 43)
Rapide (14 Apr 43)
Spitfire VIII
Martinet (15 May 43)
Anson (21 May 43)
Lysander (25 May 43)
Wellington III (7 Sep 43)
Hampden (18 Oct 43)
Stinson Reliant (8 Nov 43)
Whitley (9 Nov 43)
Barracuda (17 Nov 43)
Wellington IV
Blenheim (25 Nov 43)
Queen Bee
Fulmar (24 Mar 44)
Beaufighter (26 Apr 44)
Hellcat (13 Apr 44)
Mustang III
Hudson (11 Jun 44)
Avenger (9 Aug 44)
Seafire III

He also flew as 2nd pilot on Sunderlands, Bothas and Halifaxs.

836 hours in the period.

Quite a list.

Another of his log books is in a glass case in hangar 3 (I think) at Old Warden.

[treadigraph]

Quite a list indeed! It would almost have been easier to list the allied types he didn't fly! Interesting to see the Hector and Audax in amongst the list.

Cheers

Treadders