Auster 6A
The Auster AOP.6, Taylorcraft's Model K, replaced the wartime Auster V as the British Army's standard air observation post aircraft, its strengthened fuselage and 145 hp Gipsy Major 7 engine giving it a higher all-up weight than its predecessors. Longer landing gear struts, needed to clear its larger propeller, and fixed external aerofoil flaps gave it a distinctly different silhouette from earlier wartime Austers. Around 296 were built for the RAF from 1949, with further batches supplied to Belgium and Hong Kong, before the AOP.9 began replacing it from 1955. Many retired AOP.6s were converted for civilian flying, first as the Auster 6A and later as the Beagle Terrier.
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Did you know?
Look for the fixed aerofoil flaps and longer gear struts: the AOP.6's silhouette differs clearly from earlier Austers, and ex-army ones became civilian 6As and Beagle Terriers.
Specifications
| Length | 7.2 m (24 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Height | 2.6 m (9 ft) |
| Persons on board | 3 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1 t |
| Range | 275 NM (509 km) |
| Service ceiling | 14,000 ft (4,267 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) |
| Units built | 34 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Auster 6A starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
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