Skyblazer said:
Nice addition, hesham, but be careful about "A2". This was not an Auster inhouse designation, but only the first part of the official specification: A.2/45 (which involved not only the Auster N, but also the Heston JC.6 prototype and the Miles M.66 project).
Also, please note that :
1°) Auster's designations featured a slash sign between the type letter and the variant numeral, as in J/1A.
2°) All the letters from A to S (except for I, O and R) seem to have been allocated to Auster Types.
3°) A new numbering system was introduced in 1958 following the Beagle take-over, and this consisted of only a letter and a numeral, WITHOUT the slash.
These designations include C6, D1, D4, D5, D6, D8, D9 and E3. Proof that this was a completely different system is in the duplication of D1 vs. D/1 (the A.O.P. I) and E3 vs. E/3 (a 1947 project). Apparently the old designations remained on the aircraft that were still produced, and often appeared without the slash (J5 vs. J/5) but I don't know if there was a rule about that.
4°) When the name Auster disappeared in 1960, the name Beagle was used throughout, a third system was introduced that used a letter indicating the original design team (A for Auster, M for Miles) followed by a two- or three- digit number. These designations include A61 Terrier (former K/6B), A109 and A111 Airedale (former D8), A115 Mark 11/A.O.P.11 (former E3).
I think you may have got yourself in a slight pickle here! My website, http://www.britishaviation-ptp.com/auster.html, (thanks for the previous plug and note the corrected link), gives what I believe to be the best synopsis of Auster's complicated system. Here are a few comments:
"Auster's designations featured a slash sign between the type letter and the variant numeral, as in J/1A". Correct, but quite a minefield of minor models (J/1 through J/8), with sub models given by the letter suffix. The latter initially began at A for each where applicable, but then became part of a "unified" (!!) system. But beware of the Auster 5 series, totally unconnected to the J/5 series!
".....be careful about "A2". This was not an Auster in house designation, but only the first part of the official specification: A.2/45". According to Aeroplane, December 1983, the A.2/45 was given the Auster designation A2. This, of course, may be incorrect, but chronologically would fit.
"A new numbering system was introduced in 1958 following the Beagle take-over, and this consisted of only a letter and a numeral, WITHOUT the slash." - no, this was the use of the SBAC numbering system introduced immediately post war, not in 1958, and starting at A1 (
possibly the Model M redesignated). Beagle didn't take over Auster until 1960.
"....duplication of D1 vs. D/1 (the A.O.P. I) and E3 vs. E/3 (a 1947 project)." - yes, designation D/1 did exist, as the aircraft that became the Auster I did differ from the basic Model D. I have never seen any reference to an "E/3". I is always Taylorcraft Model E Auster III (for the military variant), the company having yet to be renamed Auster, or Auster 3 when civilianized.
"When the name Auster disappeared in 1960, the name Beagle was used throughout, a third system was introduced that used a letter indicating the original design team (A for Auster, M for Miles) followed by a two- or three- digit number. These designations include A61 Terrier (former K/6B)....". The Auster name lasted a bit longer, as Beagle-Auster, until the three parts of Beagle were merged at Shoreham as Beagle Aircraft Limited on 10 May 1962. The Terrier was the only exception the Beagle 3-digit system, supposedly representing Austers 61st design. Also the use of the designation K/6B is incorrect. Although the Model J had a multitude of sub-designations (J/1 through J/8), the Model K did not. Civil conversions of the Taylorcraft Model K Auster AOP.VI were known as Auster 6 and further civil variants followed the Auster 6 naming (6A, 6B) without reference to the basic Model K designator.
Hope that all helps a bit. Again, http://www.britishaviation-ptp.com/auster.html (plug) gives a full listing of all known Taylorcraft/Auster projects, along with many more. It is only up to the latter end of the B's so far, but, slowly but surely..............!
