Auster Aircraft

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Auster Aircraft
IndustryAerospace
Founded1938 (as Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Limited)
Defunct1960
FateMerged with Beagle Aircraft.
Headquarters Rearsby, Leicestershire, UK

Auster Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from 1938 to 1961. [1]

Contents

History

The company began in 1938 at the Britannia Works, Thurmaston near Leicester, England, as Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Limited, making light observation aircraft designed by the Taylorcraft Aircraft Corporation of America. 1,604 high-wing Taylorcraft Auster monoplanes were built during World War II for the armed forces of the UK and Canada, primarily for the role of air observation post (AOP).

Auster Alpha parked in front of Auster's original assembly facilities at Rearsby in 1966 Auster J.1N Alpha G-AGXN RBY 26.03.66 edited-5.jpg
Auster Alpha parked in front of Auster's original assembly facilities at Rearsby in 1966

During the war the head office and drawing office were at a big old house on the outskirts of Thurmaston called "The Woodlands". The fuselages and wings were manufactured at Syston under the works manager by the name of Sharp. Sheet metalwork was done at the old 'en tout cas' works at Thurmaston. Final assembly, fitting out and testing took place at Rearsby aerodrome. The name changed to Auster (after the Roman name for the south wind) on 7 March 1946, when production shifted to Rearsby aerodrome, all in Leicestershire. All designs were evolved from the early Taylorcraft with a sprung skid or tailwheel beneath the fin (except for a low-wing aircraft called the "Agricola" designed for aerial farming work; only nine of these were completed). When the company was merged into Beagle Aircraft in June, 1961, [1] the high-wing design was developed still further as the Terrier and, with a nosewheel, the Airedale.

The Auster name was dropped in 1962 after Beagle Aircraft was created.

Aircraft

Auster Autocrat 5J1, built 1946 Auster autocrat 5j1 g-ajee of 1946 arp.jpg
Auster Autocrat 5J1, built 1946
Auster J/5F Aiglet Trainer of 1953 Auster.aiglet.g-amzt.arp.jpg
Auster J/5F Aiglet Trainer of 1953
Beagle A.61 Terrier of 1962 Beagle auster a61 terrier g-arui.arp.jpg
Beagle A.61 Terrier of 1962
The Auster A.2/45 second prototype, VL523, of 1949 Auster M ATP 018173 C.jpg
The Auster A.2/45 second prototype, VL523 , of 1949

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Notes

  1. 1 2 Willis, issue 122, p.55
  2. Wenham 2015, p. 42.
  3. "Britain's Aircraft: Auster A.2/45". Flight 8 September 1949, p. 293

References