Header.JPG

Airspeed AS.6 Envoy

For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.

Produced Variants

AS.6  Envoy 6/8 passenger low wing airliner with retractable undercarriage. Two 200 h.p. Wolseley A.R.9 Mk.II powerplants.
AS.6A  Envoy As AS.6, fiited with two 215 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC powerplants.
AS.6D  Envoy As AS.6, fiited with two 350 h.p. Wright R-760-E2 Whirlwind 7 powerplants.
AS.6E  Envoy As AS.6, fiited with two 340 h.p.  Walter Castor II powerplants.
AS.6G Envoy As AS.6, fiited with two 230 h.p. Wolseley Scorpio I powerplants.
AS.6H  Envoy As AS.6, fiited with two 225 h.p. Wolseley Aries III powerplants.
AS.6J  Envoy As AS.6, fiited with two 310 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX powerplants.
AS.6JC  Envoy AS.6J optimised as military/civil convertible - civil variant.
AS.6JM  Envoy AS.6J optimised as military/civil convertible; military variant, fitted with bomb racks, fixed fwd firing gun and a dorsal gun turret.
AS.6K Envoy As AS.6, fiited with two 230 h.p. Wolseley Scorpio II powerplants.
   
Note: Most, but not all, Cheetah powered aircraft featured close-cowled powerplants. All others featured Townend rings.
   
Series  
   
The Envoy was produced under three different Series :
   
Series I Initial production variant.
Series II Introduced split flaps.
Series III As Series II with fabric covered wings replaced by plywood stressed skin construction.


Foreign Produced Variants

Mitsubishi Production

Hinazuru Licence built version of the AS.6A Envoy with licence built A.S Lynx IVC or Wolseley Aries III powerplants. One aircraft
  (probably J-BAOD) fitted with130 h.p. Gasuden Jimpu powerplants and landing flaps, but crashed during testing. At least two
  aircraft (J-BOAS 'OX) had modified side windows.


Projected Variants

AS.6B Seaplane variant.
AS.6C  Seaplane variant.
AS.6F  Photographic survey variant
(none) General Coastal Reconnaissance aircraft to Specification 18/35.


Production List Page Top
AS.6 Envoy (Airspeed Built) - All Aircraft
C/n
Initial Registration
Type
Series
Notes
 52 aircraft built by Airspeed Ltd., Portsmouth, between 1934 and 1938.
 17  G-ACMT  AS.6
I
 Converted to  to AS.6G Srs II in 1936.  To Rollason Aircraft Services Ltd, Croydon. Purchased  for Spanish Republicans. Fitted with
         wings of G-AEBV at Barcelona, prior to defection to Spanish Nationalists, became 41-1 as General Mola's personal aircraft
 28  G-ACVH  AS.6
I
 Retained by Airspeed, but reportedly  to Wolseley as development aircraft (but may be confusion with G-ACVI). See note 5
 29  G-ACVI  AS.6H
I
 To William Richard Nuffield (Lord Nuffield), Henley-on-Thames, named "Miss Wolseley"; operated as engine development aircraft
         by Wolseley Motors.  To Ansett Airways Pty Ltd, Essendon, Australia as VH-UXM.  Re-engined in 1944 with Wright Whirlwinds as AS.6D
 30  G-ACVJ  AS.6A
I
 To RK Dundas Ltd, Portsmouth and flown to India on demonstration tour. To Spanish Republicans, Aug 1936. See note 6.
 31  G-ACYJ  AS.6J
I
 To Charles T.P. Ulm, Australia as VH-UXY,named "Stella Australis". See note 6.
 32  G-ADAZ  AS.6A
I
 To North Eastern Airways Ltd, Heston; named "Tynedale". Impressed  into RAF service as DG663 under file B.50801/39
 33  G-ADBA  AS.6J
I
 To Cobham Air Routes Ltd, Croydon, but company ceased trading and leased to Olley Air Service Ltd, Croydon. See note 2. 
         Impressed  into RAF service as P5778 under file B.50801/39
 34  G-ADBB  AS.6J
I
 To North Eastern Airways Ltd, Heston; named "Wharfedale". To Spanish Nationalists, Aug 1936.
 35  G-ADBZ  AS.6J
I
 To North Eastern Airways Ltd, Heston; named "Swaledale". See note 2. 
 36  G-ADCA  AS.6A
I
 To Portsmouth Southsea & Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd, Portsmouth. To Spanish Republicans, Aug 1936, but crashed on route.
 37  G-ADCB  AS.6
I
 To Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd.  To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK) as J-BDDO. See note 7.
 38  G-ADCC  AS.6
I
 To Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd.  To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK) as J-BDAO. See notes 6 and 7.
 39  ZS-AGA  AS.6JC
II
 See Note 1. To South African Airways, named "Sir Peregrine Maitland".  To SAAF as 254, Oct 1938 (See Military Table).
 40  G-ADCE  AS.6A
I
 To Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd.  To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK) as J-BDEO.
 41  J-BAOH  AS.6A
I
 To Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd.  To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK). See notes 6 and 8.
 42  J-BDBO  AS.6A
I
 To Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd.  To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK). See note 9.
 43  J-BDCO  AS.6
I
 To Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd.  To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK). See note 7.
 44  251  AS.6JM
II
 To SAAF (See Military Table). Diverted on arrival and regd ZS-ALD for op by Air Survey Flight, Zwartkop, Pretoria.To SAAF Dec 1937.
 45  ZS-AGD  AS.6JC
II
 See Note 1. To South African Airways, named "Alexander Biggar". To SAAF as 257, May 1938 (See Military Table).
 46  ZS-AGC  AS.6JC
II
 See Note 1. To South African Airways. To SAAF as 257, May 1938 (See Military Table).
 47  OK-BAL  AS.6E
I
 To Ceskoslovenske Statni Aerolinie [CSA], Prague. Seized by Germans Mar 1939. To Luftwaffe as CM+SA. To Finnish AF as EV-1 Mar 1942.
 48  OK-BAM  AS.6E
I
 To Ceskoslovenske Statni Aerolinie [CSA], Prague. Seized by Germans Mar 1939. To Luftwaffe as DM+SA. 
 49  252  AS.6JM
II
 To SAAF (See Military Table). Diverted on arrival and regd ZS-ALE for op by Air Survey Flight, Zwartkop, Pretoria.To SAAF Dec 1937.
 50  253  AS.6JM
II
 To SAAF (See Military Table). Diverted on arrival and regd ZS-ALF for op by Air Survey Flight, Zwartkop, Pretoria.To SAAF Dec 1937.
 51  ZS-AGB  AS.6JC
II
 See Note 1.  To South African Airways; named Sir Hercules Robinson". To SAAF as 255, May 1938 (See Military Table).
 52  G-AEBV  AS.6J
II
 To Brian Allen Aviation Ltd, Croydon. To Spanish Republicans, Aug 1936. Fate unknown but wings fitted to G-ACMT by Sept 1936
 53  OK-BAN  AS.6E
II
 To Ceskoslovenske Statni Aerolinie [CSA], Prague.
 54  OK-BAO  AS.6E
II
 To Ceskoslovenske Statni Aerolinie [CSA], Prague.
 55  G-AEGF  AS.6J
III
 To British Scandinavian Airways Ltd, Gravesend; not used.
 56  G-AEDD  AS.6J
III
 To British Scandinavian Airways Ltd, Gravesend; not used.
 57  VT-AHR  AS.6J
II
 To Maharajah of Jaipur.
 58  OK-VIT  AS.6E
III
 To Vitkovicke Horni & Hutni Tezirstvo, (Vitkovice Mine & Steel Co), Prague.
 59  VT-AIC  AS.6K
III
 To HH The Maharajah Yashwant Rao Holkar, Indore. To R.K. Dundas Ltd, Portsmouth, as G-AFWZ.  Impressed  into RAF service as X9370.
 60  G-AENA  AS.6J
III
 To Maxwell Hutcheson Findlay & Kenneth Herbert Fraser Waller, Brooklands; named "Gabrielle".
 61  PH-ARK  AS.6J
III
 To Eric Hoffman, Vienna, for Spanish Republicans but impounded Antwerp Docks. To D.H. Reinders, The Hague, Aug 1937, but not used.
 62  PH-ARL  AS.6J
III
 To Eric Hoffman, Vienna, for Spanish Republicans but impounded Antwerp Docks. To D.H. Reinders, The Hague, Aug 1937, but not used.
 66  G-AEXX  AS.6J
III
 To Kings Flight (See Military Table). Returned to civil Feb 1946 to Gerald Guy Ward Farquharson, Datchet, Bucks. To Nils Turing, Visby,
         as SE-ASN, December 1946.
 67  G-AEXE  AS.6J
III
 To Kwangsi Province, China (for use by Military Governor of Liu Chow); delivered via Hong Kong.
 68  G-AERT  AS.6J
III
 To Kwangsi Province, China (for use by Military Governor of Liu Chow); delivered via Hong Kong.
 69  F-APPQ  AS.6J
III
 To Air Pyrenees.
 70  F-AQAA  AS.6J
III
 To Air Pyrenees.
 71  F-AQAB  AS.6J
III
 To Air Pyrenees.
 72  F-AQCR  AS.6J
III
 To Air Pyrenees. To Líneas Aéreas Postales Españolas as EC-AGE, July 1938. To Spanish Republican Air Force as 41-3.
 73  F-AQCS  AS.6J
III
 To Air Pyrenees.
 74  F-AQCT  AS.6J
III
 To Air Pyrenees.
 76  G-AFJD  AS.6J
III
 To The High Commissioner for India, civilian registered presumably for ferry purposes to India.  (See Military Table)
 77  G-AFJE  AS.6J
III
 To The High Commissioner for India, civilian registered presumably for ferry purposes to India.  (See Military Table)
 78  P5625  AS.6J
III
 (See Military Table).
 79  P5626  AS.6J
III
 (See Military Table). To G-AHAC with the Brevet Flying Club, Jan 1946.
 80  P5627  AS.6J
III
 (See Military Table).
 81  P5628  AS.6J
III
 (See Military Table).
 82  P5629  AS.6J
III
 (See Military Table).
Total Production (New Built)   52
Total Production (Type Conversion)   (2)

AS.6 Envoy (Mitsubishi Built) - All Aircraft

 Page Top 

C/n
Initial Registration
Type
Series
Notes
 11 aircraft built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagoya, Japan, between 1936 and 1937.
 1  J-BAOD   AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK).
 2  J-BAOF  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK).
 3  J-BAOK  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK).
 4  J-BAOL  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK). To Greater Japan Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK) as J-DAOL for use in Formosa.
 5  J-BAOP  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK).
 6  J-BAOQ  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK). To Greater Japan Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK) as J-DAOQ for use in Formosa.
 7  J-BAOR  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK).
 8  J-BAOS  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK). To Greater Japan Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK) as J-DAOS for use in Formosa.
 9  J-BAOV  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK).
 10  J-BAOW  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK).
 11  J-BAOX  AS.6A
I
 To Japan Air Transport (Nihon Koku Yosu KK). To Greater Japan Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK) as J-DAOX for use in Formosa.
Total Production    11

Aircraft In Military Service

 Page Top 

Serial Range
C/n
Type
Batch Qty
Conv.
Canc'd
Notes
 7 aircraft ordered from Airspeed. Ltd., Portsmouth, as convertible civil/military Envoy IIs ordered under Contract 470225/35 to Specification 39/35. 3 delivered to S.A.A.F, in July 1936, remainder to S.A.A.
 (see main list).
 251 - 253  44, 49, 50  AS.6JM  3      Series II - see Note 1
 254 - 257  39,51,46,45  AS.6JC    (4)    Ex ZS-AGA, ZS-AGB, ZS-AGD and ZS-AGC respectively.
 1 aircraft, ex G-AEXX of the Kings Flight, to RAF under Contract 621351/37. Delivered May, 1937.
 L7270  66  AS.6J    (1)    
 2 aircraft ordered from Airspeed. Ltd., Portsmouth, under Contract 783677/38, for AHQ India Communications Flight, Willingdon. Delivered August 1938.
 N9107 - N9108  76,77  AS.6J    (2)    Originally G-AFJD, 'JE.
 5 aircraft ordered from Airspeed. Ltd., Portsmouth, under Contract 967144/38 to Specification 24/38. Delivered between March and June 1939.
 P5625 - P5629  78-82  AS.6J  5      Series III
 
Total Production
 8
 (7)
   




Production Summary

Page Top 

All Aircraft By Type
Type Airspeed Mitsubishi Total Built New
Built New Conv. Built New
 AS.6   Envoy 5     5
 AS.6A   Envoy 6   11 17
 AS.6D   Envoy   (1)    
 AS.6E   Envoy 5     5
 AS.6G Envoy   (1)    
 AS.6H   Envoy 1     1
 AS.6J   Envoy 27     27
 AS.6JC   Envoy 4     4
 AS.6JM   Envoy 3     3
 AS.6K Envoy 1     1
  52 (2) 11 63

All Aircraft By Series
Type Airspeed Mitsubishi Total Built New
Built New Conv. Built New
 Envoy Series I 18   11 29
 Envoy Series II 11 (1)   11
 Envoy Series III 23     23
  52 (1) 11 63

Notes
  1. Seven convertible civil/military Envoy IIs ordered under Contract No.470225/35 to Specification 39/35. Hamlin [2] indicates c/n's 45 and 46 as AS.6D and and AB-IX [4] indicates c/n's 45/46/49/50/51 the same. To this author, it seems unlikely that the order against this contract would mix engine types.
     
  2. Various attempts were made to supply the indicated aircraft to the Spanish Republican forces before the next indicated ownwership, but were blocked. [2],[4].
     
  3. It is possible that c/n 63/64/65 were also Envoys allocated to Eric Hoffman (see c/n's 61/62) but not delivered [4].
     
  4. Mitsubishi serial listing per Air Britain [4] [5] and Taylor [1], though Taylor omits J-BAOX. Hamlin [2] differs in that he has J-BACO rather than J-BAOD (possibly confused with J-BDCO, c/n 43?). Air Britain Archive [5] gives J-BACO as Salmson 2A2/Kawasaki or later Gasuden KR-2. C/n's are unconfirmed.
     
  5. Taylor [1] and Middleton [7] indicate this as an AS.6, but Hamlin [2] and Air Britain [4] give it as an AS.6A. Photgraphic evidence would appear to give it as the former.
     
  6. Aerodynamic problems with the short engine nacelles of the first Envoys led Airspeed to develop a longer nacelle which extended just beyond the wing trailing edge. The first aircraft so fitted appears to be c/n 30, possibly some time after first flight, as c/n 31 still retained the shorter nacelles. All following could be expected to feature the long nacelles. However, photographic evidence shows c/n's 38 and 41 also with short nacelles.
     
  7. Taylor [1] and Air Britain Archive [6] and indicate J-BDAO, 'CO and 'DO as being an AS.6, with J-BDBO and 'EO as AS.6A, some of which appears to be born out by supporting photographs. Hamlin [2] gives only J-BDDO as an AS.6.
     
  8. J-BEYG, an unidentified Envoy of Japanese Air Transport Co, is also reportedly c/n 41, delivered new to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries October 1935; operated by Imperial Japanese Navy June 1936, prior to transfer as J-BAOH September 1936 [4].
     
  9. Taylor [1] and Air Britain Archive [5] indicate this as possibly J-BAOI.
     
  10. Two Envoys were operated by the Croatian Air Force as 2001 & 2002, delivered via Germany in 1943. Probably ex Czech. [4]
     

Production References
  1. Airspeed Aircraft Since 1931, H.A. Taylor (Putnam, 1970)
  2. Oxford, Consul and Envoy File, John F. Hamlin (Air-Britain Publications, 2001)
  3. Impressments Logs, Peter W. Moss (Air Britain Publications, 1962-66)
  4. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/airspeed_prewar.pdf
  5. Air Britain Archive 1/1997 (Air Britain Publications)
  6. Air Britain Archive 3/1998 (Air Britain Publications)
  7. Aeroplane Monthly, Sep 1978

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Page Revision History Page Top

Revised at Version 1.4.4
  • C/n 34: corrected to 'To Spanish Nationalists'.
Revised at Version 1.4.0
  • Page completely rewritten.

V1.4.4 Created by Roger Moss. Last updated August 2020