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Austers
Home to the Eggesford
Auster Collection

MK III - 'Burma' Auster
Currently the only MK III flying in Europe, MT 438 served with 656 sqn during WW II in the Burma campaign. She was flown back to the UK in the early 60's after spending time with the Kuala Lumpah Flying Club.

MK 9 - WZ 662
WZ 662 is the prototype MK 9 and unusual for a prototype was issued to Sqn service with 656 sqn in Malaya

MK 9 - XN 441
XN 441 was shipped to Aden in 1960 where she served with 653 sqn, the 8 independent Recca flight in Kenya returning to Falaise camp, Aden, before being retired and replaced by Beavers and Allouettes.

MK 9 - XR 240
XR 240 went to BAOR, Germany with 654 sqn based at Hildesheim and Osnabruck from 1962 - 1967, returning to 19MU store by July 1967.

MK 9 - XR 241
XR 241, in Germany with 654 sqn at Hildesheim. Flown mainly by the then Capt Somerton-Raynor. It stayed with the sqn moving with them to Osnabruck in 1963 under the command of Maj Somerton-Raynor who flew the aircraft all over Northern Europe. By 1967 it was in the charge of the Advanced Fixed Wing Flt, Middle Wallop and was one of the last remaining MK 9's with the Army, the other being XR 244, now with the historic Flt. In 1969 XR 241 was chosen to take part in the B.P. England - Australia Air Race, which it completed in 141 hrs 10 min, with the pilot Maj Somerton-Raynor.

Beagle Terrier
VF 581
Beagle Terrier 1 issued to 664 sqn after release from 20 m.u. on the 16.02.1950. Returned to Auster aircraft on 22.06.1960 and registered G-ARSL.

G-ASZX


VF 516 Terrier 2
Shipped out of Liverpool docks on 20th August 1951, VF 516 sailed for Korea and was allocated to 1913 light liaison flight, one of two RAF flights during the Korean war, and she remained there until 1956 before coming home to the U.K. again by sea. During 1959 she was converted to a Mk 10 at Rearsby to serve as a trainer at Middle Wallop. Civilianised during 1963 and later restored by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, she again wears her Mk 10 training colours.

Auster J5R Alpine
G-ANXC was first built as an Aiglet trainer and displayed at Farnborough. Returned to Rearsby she was rebuilt into the first J5R Alpine and is the sole survivor of a J5R. After demonstration flights, again at Farnborough she was sold to Africa and the log books show that she was in Uganda based at Entebbe in the early 60's working for the game reserves counting and monitoring wildlife and flying from all of Uganda's airfields from time to time. She then moved to Kenya in 1964 remaining there until 1983 when she was brought back to the U.K. and based in Devon. Log book entries show encounters with pig holes, ants eating the main spars and collapsing hangar roofs during storms, but she is still in fine flying condition sporting pictures of big game on her rudder.

1946 Auster Autocrat