Auster AOP.6

{{short description|1945 reconnaissance aircraft by Auster Aircraft}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}} {{Use British English|date=July 2017}} {{Infobox aircraft |name = Auster AOP.6 |image = Auster AOP.6 TW539 663 Sqn 1954.jpg |caption = Auster AOP.6 operational with 663 (AOP) Squadron in 1954 |type = observation aircraft |manufacturer = Auster Aircraft Limited |designer =  |first_flight =  |introduction = 1945 |retired =  |status =  |primary_user = Royal Air Force |more_users = Belgian Air Force |produced =  |number_built = AOP.6 378<br />T.7 84 |unit cost = |developed_from = Taylorcraft Auster |variants = Beagle A.61 Terrier<br />Auster Tugmaster }}

The '''Auster AOP.6''' is a British military air observation aircraft that was produced by Auster Aircraft Limited to replace the numerous wartime Taylorcraft Auster aircraft then in-service.

==History== The '''Auster AOP.6''' ('''Auster Model K''') was designed as a successor to the Taylorcraft Auster V, it had a strengthened fuselage, increased all-up weight and a 145 hp (108 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major 7 engine. It had a different appearance to the wartime Austers due to the lengthened landing gear struts (due to the larger propeller), and external non-retractable aerofoil flaps. thumb|right|Auster Antarctic ''WE600'' used by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition An initial production run of 296 were completed for the Royal Air Force in 1949. A second batch was produced from 1952 with a total delivered of around 400. Some aircraft ordered by the Royal Air Force aircraft were diverted to the Belgian Air Force (22) and the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (2). New aircraft were delivered to Royal Canadian Air Force, South African Air Force, and the Arab Legion Air Force (Jordan). thumb|left|Auster T.7 training aircraft of 663 AOP Squadron in 1952. A dual-control training version of the AOP.6 was produced, 77 serving as the '''Auster T.7''' ('''Auster Model Q'''). These flew alongside the AOP.6 in the AOP squadrons.

In 1955 two T.7 aircraft were modified for use on the 1956 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, being designated '''Auster Antarctic''' ('''Auster Model C4'''). The aircraft had extra radio equipment, larger tail surfaces, the ability to be fitted with floats or skis as required and a bright yellow finish to increase visibility against the snow and ice.

The aircraft was gradually replaced with the Auster AOP.9 from 1955 and surplus aircraft were converted to civilian use, first as the '''Auster 6A''' and later as the Beagle A.61 Terrier. {{clear}}

==Variants== ===Production=== ;Model K - Auster AOP.6 :Production aircraft, 378 built ;Model Q - Auster T.7 :Dual-control training variant of the AOP.6, 84 built. ;Auster AOP.8 :Proposed three-seat AOP variant of the T.7, not built.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1949/1949%20-%200406.html "Auster A.O.P.8"], ''Flight'', 3 March 1949, p. 266</ref>

===Conversions=== ;Auster T.7 Antarctic :Two T.7s converted for use in the 1956 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. ;Auster T.10 :AOP.6s converted to T7 standard, 10 conversions. ;Auster 6A Tugmaster :Former military aircraft converted for use as a civil glider tug. ;Beagle A.61 Terrier :Former military aircraft converted for civil use. ;Marshalls MA.4 :An Auster T7 modified by Marshalls of Cambridge with a new wing and larger tailplane. Perforations in the wing, ailerons and flaps were connected to a suction pump driven by an auxiliary gas turbine engine in the fuselage. The aircraft was used for research into boundary layer control. The sole example, Serial ''VF665'', lost control and crashed on 8 March 1966 in Suffolk, killing both crew.

==Operators== ===Military operators=== ;{{AUS}} *Royal Australian Air Force (Two AOP.6 aircraft only). thumb|right|Belgian Air Force Auster AOP.6 exhibited in the Brussels Museum in April 2000 ;{{BEL}}: *Belgian Army (AOP.6) *Belgian Air Force (AOP.6)

;{{BIR}}: *Burma Air Force (T.7)

;{{flag|Canada|1921}}: *Royal Canadian Air Force (AOP.6 and T.7)

;{{flag|Hong Kong|colonial}} *Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

;{{IND}}: *Indian Air Force *Indian Army

;{{JOR}} (Transjordania): *Arab Legion (AOP.6 and T.7) *Royal Jordanian Air Force [[File:Auster T.7C Antarctic WE563 Wigram NZ 03.03.92R.jpg|thumb|right|One of the two T.7C Antarctic aircraft with skis on display at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, near Christchurch in March 1992]] ;{{NZL}} *Royal New Zealand Air Force - One Auster T.7c was used by the RNZAF for the 1956 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. **No. 3 Squadron RNZAF ;{{PAK}} *Pakistan Air Force (AOP.6) *Pakistan Army (AOP.6) **Pakistan Army Aviation Corps - Ex-Pakistan Air Force aircraft.

;{{flag|South Africa|1928}}: *South African Air Force (AOP.6)

;{{GBR}}: [[File:Auster AOP 6 - Yorkshire Air Museum.jpg|thumb|right|Preserved Auster AOP.6 at the Yorkshire Air Museum]] *British Army **Army Air Corps *Royal Air Force (AOP.6 and T.7) **No. 8 Squadron RAF (July 1950 - February 1952){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=26}} **No. 209 (Hong Kong) Squadron RAF (November 1958 - March 1959){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=70}} **No. 267 Squadron RAF (February 1954 - November 1958){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=81}} **No. 651 Squadron RAF (March 1947 - October 1955 & November 1955 - September 1957){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=102}} **No. 652 Squadron RAF (September 1946 - September 1957){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=102}} **No. 656 Squadron RAF (July 1950 - April 1956){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=103}} **No. 657 Squadron RAF (June 1946 - November 1955){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=103}} **No. 659 Squadron RAF (May - August 1947){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=103}} **No. 661 Squadron RAF (May 1949 - February 1957){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=104}} **No. 662 Squadron RAF (February 1949 - February 1957){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=104}} **No. 663 Squadron RAF (July 1949 - February 1957){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=104}} **No. 664 Squadron RAF (September 1949 - March 1957){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=104}} **No. 666 Squadron RAF (June 1949 - March 1957){{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=104}} **No. 227 Operational Conversion Unit RAF

==Specifications (AOP.6)== thumb|right|Auster AOP.6 {{Aircraft specs |ref=Macdonald Aircraft Handbook<ref name=Green>{{harvnb|Green|1964|p=48}}</ref> |prime units?=imp  |crew=2 |length ft=23 |length in=9 |length note= |span ft=36 |span in=0 |span note= |height ft=8 |height in=4.5 |height note= |wing area sqft=184 |wing area note=excluding flaps |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight lb=1413 |empty weight note= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight lb=2160 |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity={{cvt|23|impgal|USgal l|0}} |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=de Havilland Gipsy Major 7 |eng1 type=4-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engine |eng1 hp=145 |eng1 note= |prop blade number=2 |prop name=fixed-pitch propeller |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note=  |max speed mph=124 |max speed note=at {{cvt|1000|ft|0}} |cruise speed mph=108 |cruise speed note=<br> *'''Landing speed:''' {{cvt|32|mph|kn km/h|0}} with flaps |range miles=315 |range note= |ceiling ft=14000 |climb rate ftmin=810 |climb rate note= at {{cvt|1800|lb|0}} |wing loading lb/sqft=11.7 |power/mass={{cvt|0.0676|hp/lb}} |more performance= }}

==See also== {{Portal|Aviation}} {{aircontent |related= *Auster AOP.9 |similar aircraft= |lists= |see also= }}

==References==

===Notes=== {{reflist}}

===Bibliography===

*{{cite book |last= Green|first=William |title= Macdonald Aircraft Handbook|year= 1964|publisher= Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.|location= London}} *{{cite book |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|publisher= Orbis Publishing}} *{{cite book |last= Jackson|first= A.J.|title= British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1|year= 1974|publisher= Putnam|location= London|isbn=0-370-10006-9 }} *{{cite book |last1=Jefford |first1=C. G. |title= RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 |year=1988 |publisher= Airlife Publishing |location= Shrewsbury, UK |isbn= 1-85310-053-6 }} * {{cite magazine |last=Marsh |first=M. P. |title=200,000 perforations |magazine=Aeroplane Monthly |volume=18 |issue=5 |pages=286–287 |issn=0143-7240}} *Halley, J.J., The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988, Air-Britain, Tonbridge, {{ISBN|0-85130-164-9}}.

==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Auster AOP.6}}

Category:1940s British military reconnaissance aircraft Category:High-wing aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Auster aircraft Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Category:Single-engined piston aircraft