Auster Autocar

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J/5 Autocar
Auster J.5B Autocar G-AJYK Airviews Ringway 02.07.50 edited-2.jpg
The prototype J/5B Autocar of Airviews Ltd at Manchester Airport in 1950
General information
TypeTouring aircraft
Manufacturer Auster Aircraft Limited
StatusSeveral still airworthy in 2012
Primary userPrivate pilot owners
Number built202
History
Manufactured1950-1957
Introduction date1950
First flightAugust 1949

The Auster J/5 Autocar is a late 1940s British single-engined four-seat high-wing touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.

Contents

Design and production

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]

Auster J/5G Autocar at Sydney (Bankstown) Airport in 1970 Auster J.5G Autocar VH-BYT (2) BAN 04.10.70 edited-2.jpg
Auster J/5G Autocar at Sydney (Bankstown) Airport in 1970

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 modern engines.

Operations

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.

Variants

J/5P Autocar at Kidlington Airport, Oxford in 1966 Auster J-5P Autocar G-AOHF Kidlington 10.66.jpg
J/5P Autocar at Kidlington Airport, Oxford in 1966
Auster J/5B Autocar
production version with a 130 hp (97 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major 1 engine. [5]
Auster J/5E Autocar
prototype export version with a Blackburn Cirrus Major 3 engine, one built (G-AJYS). [5]
Auster J/5G Autocar
export version with a 155 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major 3 engine. [5]
Auster J/5GL
one Auster J/5G converted in Australia by Kingsford Smith Aviation Services (ZK-CXA, a rebuild of ZK-BDK) fitted with a Lycoming piston engine. [5]
Auster J/5G Super Autocar
One J/5G converted in Australia by Kingsford Smith Aviation Services with a 225 hp (168 kW) Continental O-470 engine.
Auster J/5H Autocar
with 145 hp (108 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Major 2 engine, one rebuilt (VH-KCO) in Australia by Kingsford Smith Aviation Services from J/5B [5]
Auster J/5P Autocar
version with a 145 hp (108 kW)de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 engine. [5]
Auster J/5T Autocar
development aircraft with 185 hp (138 kW) Continental E-185-10 piston engine, one built (G-25-4, c/n 3421) [6] [7]
Auster J/5V Autocar
development aircraft with 160 hp (120 kW) Lycoming O-320 engine, one built (G-APUW) [6]
Kingsford Smith Bushmaster
An Auster J/5G conversion in Australia by Kingsford Smith Aviation Services, fitted with a 180hp (134kW) Lycoming O-360 engine, constant speed propeller and other improvements.

Civil operators

United Kingdom

Pakistan

Auster J/5G Cirrus Autocar, registered in Pakistan as AP-AHJ for Government of Pakistan, Department of Plant Protection. [8] Preserved in PAF Museum.

Military operators

Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand

Specifications (J/5B)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953–54 [10]

General characteristics

Performance

References

Notes
  1. Hitchman, 1989, p. 53
  2. Ellison, 1966, p. 72
  3. 1 2 Jackson 1973 p. 75
  4. Jackson 1973, p. 76
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jackson 1973 p. 77
  6. 1 2 Hitchman 2006, pp. 28–29
  7. "Auster Heritage Group".
  8. All Pakistan Aircraft Registration Marks
  9. admin (26 February 2017). "All-Time Aircraft Used List Royal New Zealand Air Force – Aeroflight". Aeroflight.co.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  10. Bridgman 1953, p. 48.
Bibliography

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Auster Autocar at Wikimedia Commons