Armstrong Whitworth Argosy by Charles Stafrace

The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy as a transport aircraft

Charles Stafrace's volume focuses on an unusually shaped British freighter of the 1960s. The buyer gets a printed title about the aircraft, not a kit.

Operation in uniform and in civilian colors

The Argosy was powered by four Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop units, and its hallmark became the two booms carrying the tail surfaces. That layout freed the whole rear of the fuselage for cargo doors, so bulky material and paratroops alike could be taken on board. British transport aviation operated it from the early 1960s on routes to the Persian Gulf and the Far East, and it earned its nickname from the distinctive sound of its power units. Some of the machines flew in civilian colors as freighters, and a few examples ended their service in the role of calibrating ground radars.

What the text presents

• The unusual fuselage layout with booms carrying the tail surfaces
• Turboprop power and its effect on the performance of the machine
• Military transport tasks on overseas routes
• Civilian freight operation and later special conversions
• The nickname the machine earned among its crews

Whom the title will appeal to

The book suits anyone interested in transport aviation and in British equipment of the 1960s. For modelers it offers a guide to the differences between military and civilian machines, which show in the shape of the nose, in the equipment and in the finish. It also helps in choosing a less usual operator for a build of your own.