Auster Mk V / J1 Landing gear.

John
Is that you? If so Malc talks (long!) and often about you and your aircraft at Tollerton.
If it is you, I hope you are doing ok, it has indeed been a long time, so long in fact that they seem like the good old days!, yet most of us couldnt get away fast enough!! I got out and found a new life, it wasn’t easy, but now I get home at nights and can plan my weekends, and I probably earn more than most LAE’s do, in the UK at any rate.
I am still in the Aerospace industry, but at the blunt end, working for a major Airbus part’s supplier.
As you probably know, I work on aircraft for the fun of it now, I still get the thrills, but without all of the crapp that just got worse as time went on, and you know, I loved the Viscount’s Argosy’s etc, but I was at Dan-Air when they got the first Bae-146’s, I hated those aircraft, so went back to Viscount’s and Herald’s at BAF, good old days, but a sign of thing tp come.
When I became a dad, I decided to make a brake and be there for my family, and I have never regreted it for a moment, my son is the best thing that ever happened to me, and now we work on old aircraft together.
Take care John, and dont let the aircraft engineering game eat you alive, I’ve seen it happen to some great guys.
Best wishes,
Ritch Blood.

Hello Rich

The Auster archive and drawings are held here:

Leicestershire Record Office, Long Street, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire LE182AH.
All enquiries should be addressed to Peter Stoddart, tel: 0116 2775932 (home)

Peter is part time unpaid so be patient.

The residual of the factory spares are held by Austerspares near Newark.
David Baker is the man you need to speak to, pm me if you want his number.
I wouldn’t be supprised if he has some legs. It is well worth a visit to see the Auster collection (about two dozen last time I was there).

Regards Joe

ps the Fields days seem a long time ago don’t they?

Auster J1 Legs

Hi all
Thanks for the very helpfull replies, I will be doing some chasing up.
GALDRI & 1946 I have sent pm’s.
Thanks again.

Hants and Sussex Aviation used to do alot of spare, do not know if still in existence . Best bet is the Auster Club.

Auster Parts.

While on the subject of Auster parts, what price a Rotax, 12v CE starter motor. I have given a spare to my engineer for his DH Dragon, and is to come back with an offer. Re the Auster legs, if all else fails I can photograph mine and send the measurements, Auster legs that is!

About six years ago there was a man in Leicester that used to “repair” legs for the J1, if you could provide the axle. Unfourtunately his name has now ended in my File 13:( If you find him again, and need axles, drop me a line, I might have one or two.

We got our J1 legs of e-bay some years ago, so a close watch on there might get you something, but it will cost an arm and a leg. These things are very few and far between now.

To continue with some wish lists. Does anyone know the whereabouts of a belly tank for the J1??

Try Ron Neal at Leicester Airfield, prob the same man who repaired the legs, also Carl tyres at Spanhoe may be of use.

About six years ago there was a man in Leicester that used to “repair” legs for the J1, if you could provide the axle. Unfourtunately his name has now ended in my File 13:( If you find him again, and need axles, drop me a line, I might have one or two.

We got our J1 legs of e-bay some years ago, so a close watch on there might get you something, but it will cost an arm and a leg. These things are very few and far between now.

To continue with some wish lists. Does anyone know the whereabouts of a belly tank for the J1??

Try leicester museum, they can supply Auster drawings.:)

[email]museums@leicester.gov.uk[/email]