Rlangham Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Here's the photographs of the WW2 Austers at the mass Auster fly-in at Middle Wallop this weekend to coincide with the annual 656 Squadron reunion. I managed to achieve my ambition in flying all of the UK's Auster III's - all three of them! Great claim to fame and what better way to spend my 21st Birthday weekend Descending to land at Middle Wallop on the Saturday in an Auster III that landed in Normandy two days after D day Back view of the same Auster showing the large glazed area which made them so well suited to air observation Here it is on the left with two post-war military Austers Auster V, showing the snub-nosed look of Austers fitted with the Lycoming O-290 My favourite - Auster III MT438, which served in Burma during WW2 with 656 Squadron Auster IV MT197, which also landed in Normandy two days after D day, serving with 662 Squadron after joining them in March 1944. In 1945 it suffered major battle damage, but has been restored and is still airworthy Auster V Auster III MT438 and a Westland Scout of the Army Air Corps Historic Flight Austers - faaaaasands of 'em! My favourite photo of the weekend - me and Ted Maslen-Jones, who flew with 656 Squadron in Burma during the Second World War, and today was the first time he'd been in an Auster since the end of the war. Of course, we got him in the Burma Auster, and was a great pleasure to meet him, a very entertaining and interesting gentleman. The third Auster III, a recently completed restoration Coming in to land in the above Auster Civilianised Auster V, built in 1944 with the military serial number RT475, but now with a de Havilland engine (would have originally had the snub nosed Lycoming) and shorter civilian rear glazing Another Auster IV or V hiding away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Signals Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Great shots Rob, a right good weekend I reckon from what i see - and what a birthday pressy! I remember seeing two Austers (dont their age or anything) years ago at a Finningley air display. It wasn't the best of weather for the rest of the display, but it did mean that with the correct angle to the wind and everything set as it should these two aircraft more or less hovered ofr quite some time. So yes an excellent air observation platform. Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 You were in 3 of them Rob? I hate you:n00b: (OK, I am jealous). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Burley Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Some very nice pictures there. Just out of interest whats the cost in buying one of these,and maintainance?? How high are landing charges now??. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlangham Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 Enigma, I was in five in total - I flew in all three Mk III's, had a taxi ride in my mates civilian post-war J1N and flew home in a post-war civilian J5. Lord Burley, there's a couple of post-war civilian ones up for sale now for 14k which is about the normal cost for one, it would probably go up for a WW2 variant but not by much - one of the Mk III's pictured underwent a long restoration, and the owner would sell it including the rest of the restoration to fly for 25k and that was deemed to be expensive. For maintenance, all depends on the state of it really, American engines such as the Lycoming in the Mk IV and V are much cheaper to maintain and cleaner too. Running costs for a British de Havilland engine which most are fitted with is about £45 an hour, but depending on the wind you can cover a lot of ground, they cruise at 90mph but could go further or not as far depending on which way the wind is blowing. Landing fees vary widely from place to place, generally you find most airfield owners are sympathetic to historic aircraft so offer reduced or free landing fees, I think on average they tend to be about £10-15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I am restoring an Auster IV to fly at the moment and whilst the Lycoming may be cleaner than a Cirrus or a Gypsy, parts are getting very hard to find! There is a resurgence in Austers at the moment no doubt due to them moving from a CAA C of A to an LAA permit. Much cheaper to operate and the few restrictions are not much of an issue. As with most things, they cost more to restore than they are worth when finished..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlangham Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Adrian, are you a member of the Auster Club yet? Had a great few previous events and have a number more for the rest of the year. A friend of mine is restoring a Mk V to authentic as possible condition and had a Lycoming shipped in from the States. Be great to see yours out and about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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