Eland Varsity

[Tomliner]

Garry I must admit that I prefer the looks of the Varsity with the original piston engines and cowlings.Much more inkeeping with it's nickname of the 'Flying Pig'
Did I ever mention that I once had a flight in a Varsity from RAF Ballykelly in NI?Must have been about 1959-1960.I was in the ATC on a weeks annual summer camp.What memories.ATB EricT

[Garry Russell]

Must've been a memorable trip Eric

What always amused me about the Varsity was the short main undercarriage

So short, the wheels just about reached the ground :roll:

Of course the pannier didn't help

Garry

[Fodda]

... Accountant...

You're kidding me! Somebody thought that was a good name for an aeroplane? :drinkers: :doho:

What next? The 'Handley-Page Quantity Surveyor'? Or maybe the 'Fairey Estate Agent'... Errr... I think I'll leave it there... :o

[Garry Russell]

Apparently it was so named because it was very cheap to run and would balance the books :think:

A lot of folks have never even heard of it :o

Simplistic in design...no undercarriage doors for example.

ATL never intended to build it themselves as they did not have the capacity....the idea was to develope it and have sub contractors involved.

It was ecooimical with it's two Darts but also butt ugly with it's area rule fuse.

They annouced that the production version was to have had a conventional fuselage......presumably they meant conventionally ugly and then the project quietly ran down and dissappeared

Garry

[Fodda]

OK I'll bite... I can find nothing in my half hearted search for an ATL Accountant, or ATL or accountant (except for ATL Accountants accountancy firm).

Any more info, pics etc?

[Garry Russell]

Even had a rare.for thaose days .out of sequence reg.........G-ATEL

http://members.fortunecity.com/gvanroy1/atl90.html

Garry

[Fodda]

Errr... Lovely... I think, must admit it's not what I was expecting at all. It's all fat and round... As if it's been sitting at a desk job for years... rather like an... Accountant?

Thanks for the link.