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Auster B5 AOP.9

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For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.

Contents

Type Description
Production Details

Type Description

  • Model B5 AOP.9
  • Three seat, high-wing monoplane Army air observation aircraft, to Specification A.20/49 to meet the requirements of OR.270. It was the first Auster production aircraft not based on the original Taylorcraft airframe. The wing was an all metal single spar structure, fabric covered aft of the spar, featuring large flaps and drooping ailerons. The fuselage was typical Auster, being a welded steel tube structure with fabric covering. Tailplane was a cantilever tressed skin construction with horn balance on all surfaces. All flying control surfaces were fabric covered. One 173 hp Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier 203 powerplant.

Model B5 AOP.9 Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
36 ft 5 in 23 ft 9 in 8 ft 11 in 196.7 sq ft 1590 lb 2330 lb 110 mph/ 96 kn 127 mph/ 110 kn 242 mi 19500 ft
11.1 m 7.24 m 2.72 m 18.27 m2 721 kg 1057 kg 177 km/h 204 km/h 389 km 5944 m

Non-Auster Produced Variants

  • AOP.9M
  • AOP.9 fitted with a 180 hp Avco Lycoming O-360-A1D powerplant.

Production Tables Index

Model B5 AOP.9
AOP.9 For Export
AOP.9 civilian Conversions

Model B5 AOP.9
Serial Range C/n Batch
Qty		 Conv. Canc'd Notes
 56 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, to Contract 6/Acft/7455, delivered between February 1955 and January 1956.
 WZ662 - WZ679    18      Prototype WZ662 ffirst flew 19 March 1954. WZ672 used for trials with A&AEE and RAE Aero Flight.
 WZ694 - WZ731    38      WZ702 used for winterisation trials in Canada in 1955, then to A&AEE Boscombe Down.
 10 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, for India. Delivered in 1955.
 IN-755 - IN-764  2990-2999  10      
 25 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, to Contract 6/Acft/11436, delivered between February 1956 and March 1957.
 XK374 - XK382    9      
 XK406 - XK421    16      
 25 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, for India. Delivered in 1957.
 IN-1659 - IN-1683  3422-3446  25      
 2 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, for the S.A.A.F. Delivered in 1957.
 5412 - 5413    2      
 15 ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, to Contract KC/N/034, delivered between September 1959 and April 1960.
 XN407 - XN412    6      
 XN435 - XN443    9      
 33 aircraft ordered from Beagle-Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby, to Contract KC/N/047, plus 1 replacement aircraft. All delivered between November 1960 and November 1961.
 XP232 - XP254    23      XP254 first flew as a Mk. 9 on 18 June 1961. Retained by Beagle and converted to the Beagle-Auster Model E3
 AOP.11, being reflown as such on 18 October 1961.
 XP277 - XP286    10      
 XS238    1      Replacement for XP254 delivered November 1962
 16 aircraft ordered from Beagle-Auster Aircraft Ltd, Rearsby, to Contract KC/N/058, delivered between November 1961 and April 1962.
 XR236 - XR246    11      
 XR267 - XR271    5      
Total Production 183
Auster AOP.9 For Export
For Export - Aircraft Either Delivered Directly or Ex-AAC Aircraft Refurbished, Except as Noted (In alphabetical order of country)
Serial Range C/n Batch
Qty		 Ex
AAC		 Notes
Hong Kong 3 aircraft sold to the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force in 1966/7.
HKG-6 - HKG-7 (2) Ex XN407, XN408 respectively
HKG-9 (1) Ex XN410; reportedly originally allocated HKG-7.
India 10 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, for India. Delivered in 1955.
IN-755 - IN-764 2990-2999 10
25 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, to Contract 6/Acft/11436, delivered between February 1956 and March 1957.
IN-1659 - IN-1683 3422-3446 25
South Africa 2 aircraft ordered from Auster Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, for the S.A.A.F. Delivered in 1957.
5412 - 5413
Total 40 37
Model B5 AOP.9 Civilian Conversions
C/n Initial
Registration		 Former Military
Force / Serial		 Notes
   G-BKVK  Ex AAC WZ662  To John Powell, Pontypridd, Janet Gegory, Pontypridd, Keith Abbott, Abadare and Gareth Abbott, Abadare.
   G-BDER  Ex AAC WZ672  To F&H (Aircraft) Ltd, Hounslow. To N803KB.
   G-CIUX  Ex AAC WZ679  To Robert Warner, Whittlesford, Cambridge. May include parts from more than one airframe.
   G-BURR  Ex AAC WZ706  To Richard Peter Devenish Folkes, Aldershot.
   G-AVHT  Ex AAC WZ711  To Major Michael Somerton-Rayner, AAC Middle Wollop. Converted to AOP.9M.
   G-BXON  Ex AAC WZ729  To David John Baker and Clifford john Baker, Carr Farm, Newark.
   VH-XKA  Ex AAC XK406  To Robert C Wettenhall, Berwick, Vic.
   G-AYUA  Ex AAC XK416  To Gordon Bramwell Edward Pearce, Crawley.
   G-AVXY  Ex AAC XK417  To Gordon Bramwell Edward Pearce, Crawley.
   N38224  Ex Hong Hong AAF HKG-6  To Elner J Gothard, Chehalis, WA.
   N408XN  Ex Hong Hong AAF HKG-7  To Charles S Luzier, Sarasota, FL.
   G-BGBU  Ex AAC XN435  To Kenneth John Garrett, Chesham, Bucks.
   G-AXWA  Ex AAC XN437  To Thomas Platt, Oldham, Lancs.
   G-BGKT  Ex AAC XN441  To Kenneth Horatio Wallis, Reymerston Hall, Norfolk.
   G-CEHR  Ex AAC XP241  To Richard Brian Webber and John Cooke, Exeter.
   G-BUCI  Ex AAC XP242  To the Army Air Corps Historic Flight Reserve Collection, Middle Wallop.
   G-BWKK  Ex AAC XP279  To Graham Frederick Kilsby, Bristol, via Desmond Addicott, West Clandon, Surrey.
   G-BGTC  Ex AAC XP282  To Stephen Vince, Dereham.
   G-BDFH  Ex AAC XR240  To F&H (Aircraft) Ltd, Hounslow.
   G-AXRR  Ex AAC XR241  Loaned to Major Michael Somerton-Rayner, AAC Middle Wollop for RAeC/BP race from London (Gatwick) to Sydney,
 Australia. Returned to military markings January 1970. Donated to the Shuttleworth Trust, Old Warden, on 20 January 1971.
   G-CICR  Ex AAC XR244  To the Ministry of Defence, Army Air Corps Historic Flight, Middle Wallop.
   G-AZBU  Ex AAC XR246  To Laurence Charles Mansfield, Hassocks, Sussex.
   G-BJXR  Ex AAC XR267  To the Cotswold Aircraft Restoration Group, Gloucester.
   G-BDXY  Ex AAC XR269  To Adrian Lawrence Tuttle, Leicester, via F&H (Aircraft) Ltd, Hounslow.
 B.704  G-BEBF    Unofficial c/n; to Malcolm Dudley Norwood Fisher and Andra Cheryl Fisher, Peterborough. Intended to be constructed from
 a dismantled fuelage frame held by F&H (Aircraft) Ltd, plus wings from Hants and Sussex Aviation.
 Project abandoned by 1993.
Total Civil Conversions, AOP.9 (24)
Total Civil Conversions, AOP.9M (1)
Total, Built From Spares (Not Completed) 1

Production Summary

Production Summary

All Aircraft By Type
Type Built New Conv Canc'd Total
 Model B5 AOP.9 183 183
 Model B5 AOP.9M (1) 1
183 (1) 0
Military Aircraft By Customer (New Build and Refurbished)
Customer Total
 UK AAC 146
 Hong Kong 3
 India 35
 South Africa 2
Air Ministry Contracts Associated With AOP.9
Contract Total
 6/Acft/7455  66
 6/Acft/11436  52
 KC/N/034  15
 KC/N/047  34
 KC/N/058  16

Production References

  1. Auster - The Company and the Aircraft, Tom Wenham, Rod Simpson, Malcolm Filmore (Air Britain Publishing, 2018)
  2. Auster Production Histories, Malcolm Filmore (Air Britain Publishing, 2020)
  3. Austers - 'Nearly All You Want To Know', Mike Preston and Mick Ames (International Club Heritage Group, 2002 - available to download from the Auster Heritage Group)
  4. Air Enthusiast Quarterly 122
  5. Air Enthusiast Quarterly 123
  6. RAF Air Historical Branch: RAF Aircraft Movement Card (A.M. Form 78) (Dept of Archive and Aviation Records, RAF Museum, Hendon, Records MFC-77-15-10)

Page Revision History

Revised at Version 2.0.0
  • Page completely rewritten based on [1] and [2].
Revised at Version 1.3.0
  • Added Specification and Operational Requirement (OR) numbers.
Revised at Version 1.2.0
  • Revised civil 9M details.