Floatplane Austers

Another book which may be of interest is titled
”Rearsby Recalled” by Les Leetham
It is some time since i read it so hope i get this correct!!
Les was a prewar fitter at Taylorcraft,he joined RAF and became either Air Engineer or Gunner(sorry cant remember which)managed to remuster as Pilot late in War and of course postwar like many others was unable to get flying job.
He returned to Rearsby as a fitter, but also did some test flying including float trials at Beaumaris,Anglesey.Fascinating book and also an insight into how British aircraft industry faded away.lots of info for Auster fans.
For Sussex residents there is a copy in Pulborough library.

I attended the Abingdon Fayre yestersday and was delighted to see Auster J/5P Autocar, G-AOFM. turn up, which I haven’t seen for more than 20 years. Last time I saw it, it was painted cream and red, so don’t know where it has been since.

Haven’t been right through this thread yet so, if anyone else has posted this info ignore me as most people do 🙂 The last I knew of this one it belonged to Chris Harrison and was based at a farm strip near Banbury. Oh horsefeathers. I’ve just seen an earlier post I put up saying much the same.

Yes James, I saw that and thought what a wonderful effort, only to fall at the last hurdle and be lured by the incorrect Airfix instructions which show it as YELLOW, when it should be ORANGE, the same as WE600 at Cosford!

Appologies for dragging up this old thread, but I was just reminded by this lovely little model at last years Scale Modelworld. More pics on the MMP website here

Nice to see at long last some discussion on a lovely little aircraft.

A hugely under-rated aircraft IMHO. 2006 is the 60th anniversary of the first civilian “pure” Austers (as opposed to the pre-war Taylorcraft Plus C and D) and it would be really good if there was something to commemorate this. Perhaps something could be incorporated at a Shuttleworth or Duxford display next year? Whether the International Auster Club are doing anything, I don’t know. I used to be a member, but let it lapse. Maybe it is time I rejoined.

Austers.

Nice to see at long last some discussion on a lovely little aircraft.

Would be a very nice idea, as well as the Leicestershire Country Council owned Austers, they could also let Auster owners keep their aircraft there for free, as long as they let them be on display in a hangar…. ahh i can dream

True, but i’d prefer to see it flying, or at least kept in Leicestershire, a dedicated Auster museum at the site in Rearsby wouldn’t be a bad idea

The Rearsby site is owned by ‘Auster Industries Ltd’ all of the directors are ex Auster people.

They have recently challenged the International Auster Club to come up with an idea for a permanent memorial on the site.

Sadly my idea of a hangar filled with a representative selection of Auster’s, and a 600yd x 15yd strip to operate them went a little over the £2000 budget being allocated to the project! 🙁

True, but i’d prefer to see it flying, or at least kept in Leicestershire, a dedicated Auster museum at the site in Rearsby wouldn’t be a bad idea

So would I. Austers are frequently overlooked IMHO. How many people had their first flight in a pleasure flying Auster at North Denes, Skegness, Blackpool etc? G-AGTO, the first production J/1 is kept in flying condition at Duxford, however (it’s my avatar at present).

Ow! That’s horrible!

If you’d like a decent Auster kit, there’s a 1/48 scale kit of an Auster III by Sword. I supplied some of the references for the patternmakers, and backing up some of the comments above, sales were disapointing, hence no further kits have been released to date.

Details: http://modelingmadness.com/scotts/allies/gb/austerpreview.htm

Hallam Vac did an Auster AOP9 vacform 1/72 whichyou can get if you hunt around.

Took the plunge and bought the 1/48 Sword kit today (finally got paid), does anyone know how to contact Sword Models so i can nudge them about the 1/72 version? I much prefer 1/72 scale

I attended the Abingdon Fayre yestersday and was delighted to see Auster J/5P Autocar, G-AOFM. turn up, which I haven’t seen for more than 20 years. Last time I saw it, it was painted cream and red, so don’t know where it has been since.

This aircraft is alive and well (or was) operating out of a private strip about 3-4 mile NW of Banbury.

Possibly because it is the prototype J/1 and hence an important part of the UK civil aviation heritage?

True, but i’d prefer to see it flying, or at least kept in Leicestershire, a dedicated Auster museum at the site in Rearsby wouldn’t be a bad idea

Possibly because it is the prototype J/1 and hence an important part of the UK civil aviation heritage?

Indeed. But Mr Langham is also correct, as they used to fly it.

I have some nice photos of it at Shuttleworth.

Incidentally, G-AGOH was available as a large scale (1/24?) card kit. A lovely model. I’ll have to see if I can find photos of it somewhere.

Also noted in Flypast this month that a former North Denes Auster 5 G-AKPI may be restored at some point.

Austers are beautiful aircraft, too bad the airworthy one owned by Leicestershire County Council is in a hangar at Newark Air Museum.

Possibly because it is the prototype J/1 and hence an important part of the UK civil aviation heritage?

1/48 is a bit big for me, have a lack of space as well, but would happily buy several 1/72 Auster III’s, even thinking of a nice diorama i could make as well

Sword are Eastern European based, not Australian, by the way.

Sadly, the 1/72 scale Auster kit has been delayed / temp abandonded due to poor sales of the 1/48 scale one.

I have worked with model kit produces for years, and sad to say, lots of people are ready to tell them what to produce next, but won’t put their hand in their pocket to buy it. Market forces do apply.

The 1/48 kit is nice though.

Austers are beautiful aircraft, too bad the airworthy one owned by Leicestershire County Council is in a hangar at Newark Air Museum.

They also have an Auster AOP9 hung from the roof at Snibston Discovery Park (an old coal mine), a civvy Auster J1N hung from the roof at a museum in Loughborough and one or two others in store somewhere

Ow! That’s horrible!

If you’d like a decent Auster kit, there’s a 1/48 scale kit of an Auster III by Sword. I supplied some of the references for the patternmakers, and backing up some of the comments above, sales were disapointing, hence no further kits have been released to date.

Thats’ a great shame as I bought one and have been patiently waiting for the long-announced 1/72nd scale version to be released, but it looks like they’ve abandoned it? 😮 This was a nice 1/48th kit of the Auster Autocar made by Lincoln International in the ’50s and later released by Kadar in the ’70s. I built two of these, one as G-AOIY and one as G-ARUG. Shame it’s now so rare (one just went on e.bay for around £40!).

…………..just found these scans as well