Auster AOP9 Photographs

T6 – They’re fantastic! Thanks for posting them.

Are you able to tell people how / where they can get them from? I’ve got flight sim loaded, ready and waiting!

Well, I know the file is available from www.flightsim.com and probably by now most other wellknown flight simulator webpages.

BUT I must stress that the flight model is totally inaccurate. It flys way way too fast, but hopefully this is going to be rectified in the near future by some British enthuiasts.

The panel is a photo of G-BDFH which is XR240 and is a very good rendition of the real thing, ie replacing the real instruments with the flightsim version. As to the flightmodel, I think we must appreciate that Mr.Ito’s English is not that good, but far better than our Japanese. From the emails that I received from him as the project unfolded, I can gather that the technical and history details have been lifted from another source.

After receiving the first prototype and finding that it didnt fly anything like the real thing, I sent him full details of the handling qualities (if you could call them that) of the 9, and although I tried to put it into very simple English, the air file I’m afraid is as we have it today.

This afternoon, I flew in XR241 (the yellow one) on a CAA Test Flight for a permit renewal and made some notes besides recording the actual figures. Climb Rate from a fixed start postion at 1500′ was about 800-900 feet a minute, maximum level flight at 4500′ was wait for it 89mph and the VNE dive took us up to an incredible 120mph. The gauge goes up to 140mph, but the aeroplane would never get there. As to stalling speeds, the 9 stalls at 42mph clean, 37 with take off flap and 35 with full flap. But I must stress not all 9s are the same. XR240 also tested this afternoon came out a little worse in all aspects. Take off is at about 47mph and landing well 45mph. Roll out this afternoon with 10knts from left to right was about 100yds.

Best wishes,

Martin

T6 – They’re fantastic! Thanks for posting them.

Are you able to tell people how / where they can get them from? I’ve got flight sim loaded, ready and waiting!

and here is the finished aeroplane. Apologies to all if this is in the wrong place (I wont do it again).

Martin

Superb…..I’ve supplied the builder with lots and lots of photos showing cockpits, rear doors and ant-spin strakes, but what was required was a decent three view. Least we will soon have a 9 to fly on the Microsoft sim.

Martin

Well, its been just over a week now and here is the first prototype. Since this version, the colours and final details have been added and as a result the file will be released in three versions – XR246 Bedford Radio Flight, XR244 of the Army Historic Flight and XR241 in its 1969 Air Race Colours. I find it very clever indeed, how these people build these aeroplanes from just photos and three view drawings. I simply dont have the time, or more importantly the patience to undertake such a project.

Martin

T6…

I’ve got the plans you’re after… I have been away for the last week so wasn’t able to send them… They’ll be in the post tomorrow (monday!)

Superb…..I’ve supplied the builder with lots and lots of photos showing cockpits, rear doors and ant-spin strakes, but what was required was a decent three view. Least we will soon have a 9 to fly on the Microsoft sim.

Martin

T6…

I’ve got the plans you’re after… I have been away for the last week so wasn’t able to send them… They’ll be in the post tomorrow (monday!)

Does anyone know where I can get decent three view plans of the AOP.9 as these are needed for an FS2004 version which is currently in production?

Martin

Think its called a cross wind 😀

Not really as they had a nasty habit of doing it directly into wind occasionally as well. Alex Kimbell mentions this phenomenon in his book ‘Think Like A Bird’. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Army aviation as it is a first class read.

Just scanned in three photos of AOP9s so here they are.

Glyn

1 XN443
2 XP279
3 XN442

Newforest – Joking aside I think from memory the cockroach has a good chance of surviving a nuclear blast !

I have heard of this but wonder whether it is one of those urban myths!

Newforest – Joking aside I think from memory the cockroach has a good chance of surviving a nuclear blast !

If dayglo was to be added to a basic AOP.9 scheme it would look like this…..
(WZ662 – the start of it all – taken at Taw Mill, Devon 2004).

Martin

I remember seeing an article in that other aviation magazine regarding the Christmas island AOP.9s. If I remember the said copy had a red Hunter on the front cover, if anyone is a reader of that publication. Will have to have a hunt in the attic for the magazine to reveal all. From what I can gather that when we pulled out from the islands, the aeroplanes were placed in a hangar minus the props (so that the natives couldnt enjoy them) and are probably still there today – whats left of them!

Martin

And what insects would be left after a nuclear explosion? 😀

Apparently it was spraying insecticide just to keep down the flies and nothing to do with the tests they were doing.

The latest issue of Air Enthusiast has a feature on Austers including the aircraft pictured – it was indeed spraying insecticide.

And what insects would be left after a nuclear explosion? 😀

The latest issue of Air Enthusiast has a feature on Austers including the aircraft pictured – it was indeed spraying insecticide.

Well, that IS interesting! Actually I wonder if this is actually ‘silver’ or perhaps white? It seem more logical that it was painted white to reflect the intense sun, or even to reflect the nuclear blast tests? Furthermore, the ‘crop spraying’ may be actually something to do with damping down any nuclear fallout, perhaps? XK410 actually ended its days on Christmas Island being s.o.c. on 13/2/63.

Yes indeed, the Royal Hong Hong Auxiliary Air Force had two AOP.6 and a T.7, which were replaced by two AOP.9s. The latter were painted white and somewhere I have a photo of one.

New Forest… You’re right… It is a crop sprayer! But it’s still a military Auster AOP9!!

To quote from the book “XK410 of 160wing on a fly-spraying mission over Christmas Island in February 1959. The spray consistedof DDT and paraffin”

Mosquito sprayer

Giving those smelly pongos a shower!