Sir, I was very interested in your article 'Those magnificent flying machines', which appeared in your August 5 issue. In 1942, I was a member of the Tenby ATC Squadron and living with my parents in Tenby, and our commanding officer was the late Mr. Tudor Hughes, who had a very good working relationship with the officer commanding RAF Carew Cheriton. We used to cycle to the station on Sunday mornings during the summer and they gave us lunch, and if flights were not possible, we had conducted tours of the different sections of the station. The station was operational at this time. Later, when it became a wireless school, the AVRO ANSON was used to train wireless operators and as a result we had more flights. I remember one trip, in particular, when we travelled to Anglesey and returned via Aberystwyth. There aren't many of us left of the original squadron, but I expect those that are, remember those happy Sunday outings to RAF Carew Cheriton. Perhaps your readers would be interested in the following details of the AVR ANSON MKI: Engine - two 350 HP Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 1x Radials; span - 56ft 6ins; length - 42ft 3ins; height - 13ft 1in; weight empty - 5,375 lbs; weight loaded - 8,000 lbs; crew number - three; maximum speed - 188 mph at 7,000ft; service ceiling - 19,000ft; normal range - 660 miles; armament - two .303 machine guns, up to 360 lbs of bombs.
Fred Lloyd, Gloucester.