| J/5 Autocar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The prototype J/5B Autocar of Airviews Ltd at Manchester Airport in 1950 | |
| Role | Touring aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Auster Aircraft Limited |
| First flight | August 1949 |
| Introduction | 1950 |
| Status | several still airworthy in 2012 |
| Primary user | private pilot owners |
| Produced | 1950-1957 |
| Number built | 202 |
The Auster J/5 Autocar was a late 1940s British single-engined four-seat high-wing touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.
The company recognised a need for a four-seat touring aircraft to complement the three-seat Auster J/1 Autocrat. The J/5 Autocar looked similar to the Autocrat, but was a new model featuring wing-root fuel tanks and an enlarged cabin.
The designation of J/5 for the Autocar followed on from its progenitor, the wartime Model J, which was designated the Auster AOP.V by the Royal Air Force. Postwar models derived from the Model J commenced with the J/1 Autocrat - note the use of J/1, not J-1. [1] [2]
The prototype Autocar G-AJYK, a model J/5B, first flew in August 1949 and was exhibited at the Farnborough Air Show in September. [3] A demand for a more powerful version for the tropics produced in 1950 the J/5E powered by a 155 hp (116 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Major engine. This was further developed as the J/5G which was first flown in 1951 and is also referred to as the Cirrus Autocar. [4] The later J/5P reverted to a more powerful de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. [5] Other variants were built as one-off development aircraft, and some were converted in Australia with more mordern engines.
Saunders-Roe of Cowes, Isle of Wight, acquired a J/5G Autocar and fitted it with an experimental hydro-ski undercarriage and emergency under-wing floats. With this equipment, the aircraft could remain almost stationary on the water.
The majority of the production Autocars were exported to sixteen countries and later resold in five further territories. [3] The Autocar has been primarily operated by private pilot owners and by aero clubs but some were used by small charter firms in the UK and elsewhere as taxi and photographic aircraft. Pest Control Ltd took delivery of five J/5G Autocars in 1952 for crop spraying operations in Sudan.
United Kingdom
Australia 
Kuwait 
New Zealand Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953–54 [9]
General characteristics
Performance
Auster Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from 1938 to 1961.
The de Havilland Gipsy Major or Gipsy IIIA is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, inverted inline engine used in a variety of light aircraft produced in the 1930s, including the famous Tiger Moth biplane. Many Gipsy Major engines still power vintage aircraft types.
The de Havilland DH.60 Moth is a 1920s British two-seat touring and training aircraft that was developed into a series of aircraft by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.
The Taylorcraft Auster was a British military liaison and observation aircraft produced by the Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Limited company during the Second World War.
The Miles M.38 Messenger is a British four-seat liaison and private owner aircraft built by Miles Aircraft.
The Stampe et Vertongen SV.4 is a Belgian two-seat trainer/tourer biplane designed and built by Stampe et Vertongen. The aircraft was also built under licence in France and French Algeria.
The Foster Wikner Wicko was a 1930s British two-seat cabin monoplane built by the Foster Wikner Aircraft Company Limited at Southampton Airport, Hampshire.
The Auster J/1 Autocrat was a 1940s British single-engined three-seat high-wing touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.
The Auster J/4 was a 1940s British single-engined two-seat high-wing touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.
The Auster J/5 Aiglet Trainer was a 1950s British single-engined four-seat high-wing training and touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.
The de Havilland Gipsy is a British air-cooled four-cylinder in-line aircraft engine designed by Frank Halford in 1927 to replace the ADC Cirrus in the de Havilland DH.60 Moth light biplane. Initially developed as an upright 5 litre capacity engine, later versions were designed to run inverted with increased capacity and power.
The Chrislea Super Ace is a 1940s British four-seat light aircraft built by Chrislea Aircraft Limited.
The Beagle Husky was a three-seat British light aircraft built in the 1960s which originated from a Portuguese Air Force requirement for a liaison/training aircraft, a development of the Auster Alpha. It first flew as an Auster design in January 1960, but that company was taken over by Beagle Aircraft in September that year. It was initially available with a 160 hp Lycoming O-320 engine as the Auster D5/160.
The Blackburn Cirrus Major is a British, inline-four aircraft engine that was developed in the late 1930s.
The Miles Hawk Major was a 1930s British two-seat light monoplane, developed by Miles Aircraft from the Miles Hawk in order to take advantage of the new inverted de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. When fitted with the longer Gipsy Six in place of the forward crew member, it was known as the Miles Hawk Speed Six.
The Miles M.65 Gemini was a British twin-engined four-seat touring aircraft designed and built by Miles Aircraft at Woodley Aerodrome. It was the last Miles aircraft to be produced in quantity.
The Auster J/1B Aiglet is a British light civil utility aircraft developed in the 1950s.
The Auster J/5 Adventurer is a British-built three-seat light high-wing monoplane of the late 1940s.
The Auster 6A Tugmaster was a British high-wing monoplane glider tug converted from surplus former military Auster AOP.6s.
The Auster J series was a family of British light civil utility aircraft developed in the 1940s and 50s by Auster at Rearsby, Leicestershire.
Media related to Auster Autocar at Wikimedia Commons
