By Jove, another Auster!

[Mick]

This time it's the J.2 Arrow:

http://classicbritishfiles.com/index...leinfo&id=1868

And a three-pack of additional paints:

http://classicbritishfiles.com/index...leinfo&id=1869

[rpjkw]

Thanks for the HU, Mick. I've been waiting for it to become available.

Bob

[Flyboy208]

Wow, even another Auster variant. Cracking news! Mike

[Flyboy208]

I really love the flying qualities of this J2 Arrow, Thanks David & Team! Mike :ernae:

[Z-claudius24]

Hi,

Fly it yesterday .. very good
Will grab some repaints !

[T6flyer]

Thanks to everyone for their kind words - so much appreciated. For this project, we had full access to the aeroplane and its owners were always only too happy to assist with our queries when the build was taking place. To date, all of the previous Austers had been airframes I have flown in, so this was a new venture and what with the co-operation, and the wonderful feedback from the owners who have sampled it in the sim, makes it a very worthy addition to the Austers already created.

Again thanks for the comments.

Best wishes,

Martin

[RyDraiggoch]

If anyone has dropped by the Pond recently - Dave Moly has just put his Auster B4 Ambulance out for beta -- a rarety and as part of the usual suspects trusted to beta test Dave and Brian Horseys work -- a real jewel to fly.

[T6flyer]

As we speak some 275 people have downloaded the Arrow, so here is a little about its past for anyone interested.

The Arrow of which 44 were produced was basically had an Autocrat fuselage but with upper stringers of steel section in lieu of wooden type and these were extended over the top of the rear cabin area. All upper cabin glazing was deleted and replaced by three small windows, two rectangular above the seats and one triangular above the rear cabin area. Tubular steel cross-members were fitted aft of the seats, thus restricting the aircraft to a two seater.

The Arrow was not the most prolific of the Auster range mainly because of the powerplant was a 75hp Continental and was like other goods, subject to severe import restrictions, after the end of WW2.

C/n 2366 as modelled here emerged from the Rearsby Factory just over a third of the way through the production batch in late 1946 and was exported to Belgium as OO-ABS, serving with the Vliegschool de Coninck at Ghent. In August 1947 it attended the Southend Internation Rally and won the foreign section of the arrival competition. After four and a half years in Belgium, it was sold in France to P Cornet as F-BFUV and then to Les Ailes du Maine at Le Mans as F-BFUV where it last flew in March 1972.

Bought as a restoration project by Englishman Bill Horler it was rebuilt over an eight year period. Allocation of the UK registration G-BEAH came in mid 1976 coinicedentally with those of three new Lockheed Tristars for British Airways for whom Bill worked. The completed Auster sub-assemblies were transferred to the British Airways Maintenance Hangars at Heathrow Airport for final assembly. First flight from the unusual site of the internation airport was accomplished in the evening of 23 July 1984 flown by John Kirkham, landing aftewards at Booker.

The Arrow moved to Blackbushe in February. Some 60 hours of flying were completed in 3 years when, on a flight over Buckinghamshire on 14 June 1987, the propeller detached due to a crankshaft failure. Although the Arrow was substantially damaged, both occupants were unhurt thanks to the full shoulder harness in the forced landing at Ashenson, just west of Aylesbury.

Unfortunately the Farmer would not let Bill to remove the aircraft until the crop had been cut some three weeks later, so the elements added to the damage. Bill mentioned that the engine was dragged up to the main road on a WW1 stretcher which was used by the Farmer to carry pig carcasses on!!

A new crankshaft was found, whilst the port rear spar, main undercarriage, many wing ribs, bottom engine cowlings and carburettor required replacement or repair. As a bonus to the rectification, the engine was converted to a C-85 by fitting a larger bore carburettor venturi and an increased bore to the main fuel jet.

After living in Wales for a number of years, the airframe is now owned by the Bedwell Hey Flying Group who are based on an airstrip at Bedwell Hay near Ely.

Happy Landings,

MartinAttachment 17871Attachment 17872Attachment 17873Attachment 17874