The Aeroclub de Vitoria “Heraclio Alfaro”, located in the city of Vitoria, northern Spain (LEVT) is trying to track the history and whereabouts of Auster AOP 5 EC-AJR, which was part of the club’s fleet between 1955 and 1983. The aircraft was firstly registered in Spain in 1955, DGAC (civil aviation authority) files indicating its previous identity as “TJ 517” and quoting S/N 1505.
Exploring a bit about Austers history, it appears that TJ 517 is a military serial indicating an AOP V aircraft built perhaps in 1944 and certainly having seen active duty in the Royal Air Force. We would like to know the manufacturing date and details on its service life prior to its arrival to Spain, this is, Squadron(s) in which it served, operations theatres etc. Flying for Aeroclub de Vitoria, EC-AJR had an accident in 1963 and was later rebuilt.
Now we have found the Auster in a small town and we want to restore complete. This is the reason because we want to find information about it.
Thank you in advance
By: Arabella-Cox - 17th March 2008 at 08:30
Thank you for the information
Jesús
By: mike currill - 7th March 2008 at 17:02
I can’t help with the ‘1 FP’ bit but 135Wg would be 135 Wing so I’m guessing it was serving in Europe in the latter stages of WWII with 651 Squadron? Could 1 FP be 1 Field Park as I know we had such units in the army? She would have been held there until issued to the unit.
By: Newforest - 7th March 2008 at 16:46
Welcome to the Forum TJ and good luck with your quest and restoration. Below is the only service info. I could locate as advised by TB and the fact that it was also registered as EC-WJR. It’s always easier when a plane gets a UK registration initially, kind of produces a chain of procession, usually.:)
1 FP/135 Wg/651 Sold 15.1.53
By: Adrian Barrell - 7th March 2008 at 13:16
Check out http://www.auster.ukf.net/p15.htm#
This site is a great resource for Austers.
We are currently restoring Auster IV MT243.
Adrian Barrell
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March 7, 2008 at 1:00 pm