Taylorcraft (2) Auster 3
The Auster III, known to Taylorcraft as the Model E, was a British wartime development of the earlier Auster I air observation post aircraft, built to keep production going once American engines grew scarce. In place of the Lycoming used in the Model A/I, it was fitted with a British 130 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, letting Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) continue building the type from domestically sourced components. Like its siblings, it served as a high-wing artillery-spotting and liaison aircraft for the British Army, flying low and slow from rough forward airstrips close to the front line during the Second World War.
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Did you know?
A high-wing army air observation post built in wartime Britain, the Auster 3 kept flying when American engines ran scarce by swapping in a de Havilland Gipsy Major.
Specifications
| Length | 6.8 m (22 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 10.9 m (36 ft) |
| Height | 2.4 m (8 ft) |
| Persons on board | 3 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 0.9 t |
| Range | 250 NM (463 km) |
| Service ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) |
| Rate of climb | 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s) |
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 Taylorcraft (2) Auster 3 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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