Auster J/4

{{Short description|1940s British monoplane}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use British English|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox aircraft |name = Auster J/4 |image =Auster J4 G-AIJM Cranfield 01.07.89R.jpg |caption =Auster J/4 at PFA Rally held at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, in July 1989 |type = Touring aircraft |manufacturer = Auster Aircraft Limited |designer = |first_flight =1946 |introduction = |retired = |status = |primary_user = |more_users = |produced = |number_built = 27 |unit cost = |developed_from = Auster J/2 Arrow |variants = }}

The '''Auster J/4''' was a 1940s British single-engined two-seat high-wing touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.

==History== Sales in the United Kingdom of the American-engined Auster J/2 Arrow were limited by import restrictions on the engines, so Auster re-engined the aircraft with a British engine, the 90 hp Blackburn Cirrus Minor I. The first aircraft flew towards the end of 1946. The two-seat aircraft proved less popular than the companies three-seat Auster J/1 Autocrat and only 27 aircraft were built. A number of aircraft were exported to Australia and these were known as the '''Archer''' in that country.<ref name="Ellison, 1966, p. 55">{{cite book|last1=Ellison |first1=N.H. |last2=MacDemitria|first2=R.O.|title=Auster Aircraft – Aircraft Production List |year=1966 |publisher=Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd |page=55}}</ref>

Two J4 airframes (G-AIPH & G-AIJT) were modified with Continental O-200 engines in the late 1960s by the Rolls-Royce employees “Merlin Flying Club”. G-AIJT remains airworthy.

On 30 August 1955 an Australian aircraft ''VH-AET'' managed to take-off from Bankstown Airport Sydney without a pilot. It was followed out to sea by Royal Australian Navy Hawker Sea Furies and shot down.<ref name="Ellison, 1966, p. 55"/>

==Specifications (J/4)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=''Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1949-50,<ref name=JAWA49-50>{{cite book |title=Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1949-50 |editor1-last=Bridgman |editor1-first=Leonard |year=1949 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co |location=London |pages=20c–21c}}</ref> The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage,<ref name=UUIC>{{cite web |last1=Selig |first1=M. |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref> British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume I<ref name="Jack1 p71-4">{{cite book|last1=Jackson |first1=A. J. |title=British Civil Aviation since 1919 Volume 1 |date=1987 |publisher=Putnam |location=London |isbn=978-0-370-10006-7 |edition=2nd with corrections |pages=71–74}}</ref>'' |prime units?=imp  |crew=2 |capacity= |length m=6.86 |span m=11.0 |height ft=6 |height in=6 |height note=tail down, propeller horizontal |wing area sqft=185 |aspect ratio=6.857 |airfoil=NACA 23012 |empty weight lb=955 |gross weight lb=1600 |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity=Fuel:{{cvt|15|impgal|USgal l}} in fuselage fuel tank, with {{cvt|13.75|impgal|USgal l}} under-fuselage auxiliary tank; Oil:{{cvt|2|impgal|USgal l}} aft of engine. |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Blackburn Cirrus Minor I |eng1 type=4-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine |eng1 hp=90 |eng1 note=maximum at 2,600rpm

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=Weybridge wooden fixed pitch propeller |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note=  |max speed mph=108 |cruise speed mph=92 |cruise speed note=at 2,300 rpm |stall speed mph=37 |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range miles=317 |range note=in still air |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling ft=12500 |g limits= |roll rate= |climb rate ftmin=746 |time to altitude= |wing loading lb/sqft=8.65 |wing loading note= |fuel consumption lb/mi=0.3234 |power/mass={{cvt|17.1|lb/hp|kg/kW}} *'''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|150|yd|m}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h}} wind *'''Landing run:''' {{cvt|80|yd|m}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h}} wind }}

==See also== {{Portal|Aviation}} {{aircontent |related= |similar aircraft= |lists= * List of civil aircraft |see also= }}

==References== {{commons category|Auster J/4}} {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Auster J 4}} Category:1940s British civil utility aircraft Category:Auster aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:High-wing aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1946 Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Category:Single-engined piston aircraft