Auster AOP.6 – Photos & Video

The Auster AOP.6 was a British military air observation aircraft produced by Auster Aircraft Limited to replace the numerous wartime Taylorcraft Auster aircraft then in-service.

Source: Auster AOP.6 on Wikipedia

The Auster AOP.6 was a British military air observation aircraft that was designed to replace the wartime Taylorcraft Auster aircraft. It had a de Havilland Gipsy Major 7 engine with 145 hp, and a longer landing gear to accommodate a larger propeller. It also had external flaps that improved its performance in short take-off and landing (STOL) operations. The Auster AOP.6 first flew in May 1945, and entered service with the Royal Air Force in 1947. It was used for artillery spotting, reconnaissance, liaison and casualty evacuation missions in various conflicts, such as the Korean War and the Malayan Emergency.
The Auster AOP.6 could carry a pilot and two passengers, and had a maximum speed of 200 km/h and a range of 510 km. It was equipped with a radio and a camera, and could also carry light bombs or rockets under the wings. The Auster AOP.6 was produced until 1952, with a total of 378 units built. Some of them were exported to other countries, such as Belgium, Canada, South Africa and Jordan. A dual-control training version, called the Auster T.7, was also developed, with 84 units built. Two of them were modified for the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1956, with skis, floats, enlarged tail surfaces and a yellow paint scheme. The Auster AOP.6 was gradually replaced by the Auster AOP.9 from 1955 onwards, and many of them were converted to civilian use as glider tugs or private aircraft.