Beagle Husky

Thought you might like to see a shot of XW635 just after she had her military markings applied and was named “Spirit of Butlins”, taken at Cambridge in March 1970.

Nice to see that she still appears to have the 5AEF zap on her tail!

Agreed 🙂

Nice to see that she still appears to have the 5AEF zap on her tail!

My second fight in a powered aircraft was in this one, Front seat was filled by a RAFVR officer from another Sqaudron that needed some stick time to keep his PPL current. I’ve got to admit it was a bit of a let down after my first flight in a Chippy.

Great to see her again. Thanks for posting the pics.

Alanl.

I’m about to have a day’s rallying at Silverstone for this year’s birthday treat, but I know what I’ll be asking for next year. 😎

Megalith,
Here is the very Husky in which you flew. It is now privately owned. I took the shots today at Leicester where over this weekend there is a meeting of the International Auster Club of which I am a member. By late afternoon four Austers had arrived – more are due. Hope the photos bring back happy memories!

It was the first time I had been at the controls of an aircraft and was under the impression that one had to make coarse inputs in order to adjust pitch and roll. I also made no attempt to apply rudder so there were plenty of secondary effects to stir my passengers’ breakfast.

Now if there any pilots with a two seater warbird that would like to demonstrate to me how it should have been flown, I will glandy accept a lesson. 😀

Not a ‘warbird’ as such but how about booking a flight in the Air Atlantique Classic Flight’s Chipmunk?! 😀
You would get to handle the controls and do some aeros as well if you wished.
It is great fun, I can heartily recommend it! 😉

Contact the office for details.
Cheers, Alan

When you say agricultural were you crop spraying ? No wonder they felt sick!

It was the first time I had been at the controls of an aircraft and was under the impression that one had to make coarse inputs in order to adjust pitch and roll. I also made no attempt to apply rudder so there were plenty of secondary effects to stir my passengers’ breakfast.

Now if there any pilots with a two seater warbird that would like to demonstrate to me how it should have been flown, I will glandy accept a lesson. 😀

When you say agricultural were you crop spraying ? No wonder they felt sick!

My first ATC flight too. I felt sorry for the two cadets that had previously flown and were therefore selected to sit in the back. My flying was very agricultural and both cadets felt very unwell by the time we returned to Cambridge.

Happy days.

The connect with RAF Cranwell Flying Club is that Carl used to maintain their aircraft.
That accounts for her rejoining the register circa 1989.

Hi again,

Suplementry question(s): how did the Huskey fit into the Auster/Beagle family? and how many were built?

Once again many thanks in anticipation Steve.

As David B says, they were the last in the line. The one in question is a D5/180 (ie 180 hp engine) – there was also a D5/160 – and essentially they were, IIRC updated Auster Autocar airframes (ie the J/5B – J/5G four seater series). Fom memory, once she left 5AEF she went to the RAF Cranwell Flying Club on the civvie register, retaining her RAF markings and like you, I flew from Cambridge in it (my first ATC flight).

And me!

I remember there was an article about her in Aircraft Illustrated a few months before my flight, which would put it around ’82 or ’83 at a guess.

Still got the pictures from our low pass over Duxford somewhere…

I’m sure it was very nice but compared to the aerobatics being enjoyed by my mates in Chipmunks it was a bit sedate. Much more fun being upside down!

Cheers Thunderbird! .She hasn’t worn civil markings since entering RAF service. I guess she was entered back onto the civil register for ease of civil maintainance whilst still with the AEF at Cambridge. She was entered into one of the mid 1990’s auctions by the Mod but the buyer fell through and Carl Tyers (Windmill Aviation) had been looking after her for a while purchased her from the Ministry. I have flown many an hour in her and she is delightful. As for how many were built – The Husky essentialy was the end of the line for the D series Auster – the vast majority of which went to the Portugese air force. Not many Husky’s as such were built -less than forty from memory. The majority went to private owners – Beagle were competing against American imports and the Husky as such was expensive when there were large numbers of ex military Auster 6’s flooding the market.

That’s “Husky” please, not “Huskey”; thank you.

Hi again,

Suplementry question(s): how did the Huskey fit into the Auster/Beagle family? and how many were built?

Once again many thanks in anticipation Steve.

Husky XW635 is registered as G-AWSW to Carl Tyers at Spanhoe and was presented to No 5 AEF at Cambridge by Hughie Green not Billy Butlin.

The aircraft regained its civilian marks on 19/4/89

It belonged to Billy Butlin and he donated it to the RAF for AEF use. Her RAF serial number is XW635 . She left RAF service circa mid 1990’s and was bought by Windmill Aviation. Her home base is Spanhoe Lodge in Northants although she is currently kept on a private strip not far away. She usually attends Auster Club events.

At least that proves I didn’t imagine it!

Me Too! 😀