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Auster Low Volume Production

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

This page covers Auster aircraft with low production volumes and/or registration/serial allocations. For higher volume production, see the individual type Production Details.

Type Description and Production Data

Model H Model J/6 Model P Avis Model S Model A2 Model B3 Model B4 Model C6 Atlantic
Model H
Three seat training glider, built as a private venture and based on the Auster Mk.III (but see note 1), with a single seat front cockpit replacing the engine, in front of the two main seats.

Model H Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW
36 ft 2 in 24 ft 135 sq ft 1080 lb
11.02 m 7.32 m 12.54 m2 490 kg

Production Details
C/n Initial
Registration		 Notes
 1 aircraft converted by Taylorcraft Aeroplanes, Rearsby. First flew July 1943.
 X1091    Tested in July 1943, it failed to get airborne.
Total Production  1
Model J/6
Three seat tourer based on the Model J/5 and fitted with a 145 h.p. Gipsy Major 10 powerplant.
Production Details
C/n Initial
Registration		 Notes
 1 aircraft by Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby. C/n allocated, but construction does not appear to have commenced.
 2837    
Total Production (Not Completed)  1
Model P Avis
Four seat tourer based on the Model J/1 with a completely new aft fuselage. The floor line remained a constant depth below both forward and rear seats, with larger perspex roofing covered the rear seating, and access provided by rear doors either side. The rear fuselage changed to a circular section and swept up to finish in a standard J/1 fin and rudder. A longer span horizontal tailplane was also fitted. The wing was slightly increased in span over the Model J/1 by 4 inches and featured a 3-degree sweepback and external flaps similar to the Model K. Wing strut attachment point to the fuselage was moved forward and a new undercarriage was fitted. One 145 h.p. Gipsy Major 10 powerplant.
The Model P Avis 1 was rebuilt as the Avis 2 to meet a military requirement with a modified and deeper rear fuselage and a large hatch on the starboard side to accommodate loading of a stretcher, along with the larger fin and rudder of the J/5B Autocar. One 145 h.p. Gipsy Major 10 powerplant.

Model P Avis 1 Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
36 ft 4 in 23 ft 8 in 6 ft 8 in 185 sq ft 1480 lb 2550 lb 100 mph/ 87 kn 115 mph/ 100 kn 500 mi 12000 ft
11.07 m 7.21 m 2.03 m 17.19 m2 671 kg 1157 kg 161 km/h 185 km/h 805 km 3658 m

Production Details
C/n Initial
Registration		 Notes
 2 aircraft built by Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby.
 2838  G-AJXW  Avis 1. Initially flown under B Conditions as Z-2 in mid 1947.
 2907  G-AJYF  Avis 2 (c/n 2838 rebuilt). First flew 1949.
Total Production  2
Model S
Army Air Observation aircraft based on Model K AOP.6 with split flaps, larger, low pressure tyres, the larger fin and rudder of the J/5B and a horizontal tailplane with a span of 11 ft 4 in. 180 h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier 702 powerplant.

Model S Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
36 ft 4 in 23 ft 8 in 9 ft 9 in 185 sq ft 1552 lb 2150 lb 117 mph/ 102 kn 132 mph/ 115 kn
11.07 m 7.21 m 2.97 m 17.19 m2 704 kg 975 kg 188 km/h 212 km/h

Production Details
Serial Range C/n Batch
Qty		 Conv. Canc'd Notes
 1 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby, to Contract 6/Acft/5744. First flew August 1950.
 WJ316    1      
Total Production 1
Model A2
(Originally designated Model N) 2/3-seat high-wing AOP aircraft to Specification A.2/45 to meet the requirements of OR.176. It was the first Auster aircraft not based on the original Taylorcraft airframe, but still followed their typical tube and fabric construction. The wing was a two spar all metal structure and featured leading edge slats. The wing V-brace terminated in a four member pyramidal structure projecting from the fuselage side, which also provided the mounting point for the undercarrige oleo legs. Like the Taylorcraft based designs, the rear fuselage was a braced welded steel tube box beam, with formers and stringers to provide contour. The cantilever tailplane featured angled horn balanced elevators, with a rudder of the same form. One 240 h.p. Gipsy Queen 34 powerplant.

Model A2 Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
43 ft 6 in 30 ft 1 in 9 ft 3 in 278 sq ft 3365 lb 122 mph/ 106 kn 130 mph/ 113 kn 600 mi
13.26 m 9.17 m 2.82 m 25.83 m2 1526 kg 196 km/h 209 km/h 966 km

Production Details
Serial Range C/n Batch
Qty		 Conv. Canc'd Notes
 4 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby, to Contract Acft/5606. First flew April 1948.
 VL522 - VL523    2      
 VL524 - VL525        2  
Total Production 2 2
Model B3
Radio-controlled target drone, an Auster built derivative of the American Radioplane OQ-3, built to Army Staff Requirement M.105 to provide practice for Bren guns and light artillery. Its V section fuselage was built from steel tube, fabric covered, and contained the fuel tank, radio control unit and recovery parachute. The simple strut braced shoulder-mounted wing was a two spar wooden construction of rectangular planform, fabric covered except for the leading edge. No ailerons were fitted, all control being by rudder and elevator. There was no undercarriage, the target being launched from a 37 ft. long ramp and recovery being by parachute, a protective frame under the nose preventing damage to the engine. In service it was known as the 'Pilotless Aircraft Target No.2 Mk.1'. One 276 cc A.B.C. powerplant.

Model B3 Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Endurance Service Ceiling
12 ft 3 in 9 ft 2 ft 11 in 19 sq ft 110 mph/ 96 kn 1 hr 2000 ft
3.73 m 2.74 m 0.89 m 1.77 m2 177 km/h 610 m

Production Details
Serial Range C/n Batch
Qty		 Conv. Canc'd Notes
 150 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby, to Contract 6/Acft/5435, delivered between April 1951 andJanuary 1953.
 none  AUS100FF - AUS249FF**  150      In service known as 'Pilotless Aircraft Target No.2 Mk.1'
Total Production 150
** These are actually frame numbers, not c/ns
Model B4
Four seat high-winged civil/military light freighter and ambulance aircraft. Based on the Model S airframe, it featued a box shaped rear fuselage with side hinged loading door. A rear boom mounted the standard J/5B tailplane, later supplemented with a ventral fin. A hydraulically damped main gear was fitted, along with twin tailwheel, one either side of the rear fuselage. One 180 h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier 702 powerplant.

Model B4 Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
37 ft 24 ft 8 in 8 ft 4 in 189.7 sq ft 1642 lb 2700 lb 107 mph/ 93 kn 123 mph/ 107 kn 300 mi
11.28 m 7.52 m 2.54 m 17.62 m2 745 kg 1225 kg 172 km/h 198 km/h 483 km

Production Details
C/n Initial
Registration		 Notes
 1 aircraft built by Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby. First flew September 1951
 2983  G-AMKL  Originally flown under B Conditions as G-25-2. To A&AEE Boscombe Down in September 1953 as XA177 under Contract 6/Acft/7708.
Total Production  1
Model C6 Atlantic
Four seat high-wing tourer monoplane, based on the J/5B, but featuring an all new tricycle undercarriage.The wings were from the B4, with the bracing strut fuselage attachment points moved to forward of the cabin doors for better access. The fuselage, deeper and wider than the J/5B in the cabin area, featured larger cabin doors, a J/5B fin and rudder with an additional dorsal extension, plus horn balanced elevators. The transparent roof of the J/5B was replaced with a solid upholstered roof pane, and the whole interior was given a more modern and 'car-like' look. It was intended to be produced in two models: the basic Winchester, with fixed pitch propeller, and the Windsor Deluxe, fitted with avariable pitch propeller. One 185 h.p. Continental E-185-10 powerplant

Model C6 Atlantic Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
36 ft 23 ft 10 in 185 sq ft 1670 lb 2700 lb 135 mph/ 117 kn 500 mi
10.97 m 7.26 m 17.19 m2 757 kg 1225 kg 217 km/h 805 km

Production Details
C/n Initial
Registration		 Notes
 1 aircraft built by Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby. First flew July 1958.
 3447  G-APHT  
Total Production  1

Notes

  1. The Model H was supposedly built from Taylorcraft Model B G-AFKO, c/n 1091, which was imported from the USA by AL Wykes in 1938. This was the pattern aircraft for the initial Model C production. However, photographs of the Type H show rear cabin glazing similar to the Model E Auster III.

Production References

  1. Auster - The Company and the Aircraft, Tom Wenham, Rod Simpson, Malcolm Filmore (Air Britain Publishing, 2018)
  2. Auster Production Histories, Malcolm Filmore (Air Britain Publishing, 2020)
  3. Sitting Ducks and Peeping Toms, Michael I. Draper (Air Britain Publications, 2011) (B3)
  4. Austers - 'Nearly All You Want To Know', Mike Preston and Mick Ames (International Club Heritage Group, 2002 - available to download from the Auster Heritage Group))
  5. Aeroplane Monthly Magazine, Dec 1983 (Model N)
  6. Aeroplane Monthly Magazine, Mar 1988 (Model B4)
  7. Air Enthusiast Quarterly 121 (Model N)
  8. Air Enthusiast Quarterly 122 (Models S ! B4)

Page Revision History

Revised at Version 2.0.0
  • Page completely rewritten.
Revised at Version 1.2.0
  • Added Model L
  • Added dates to Model J/6