Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Three seat cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

One 75 kw (100 hp) Blackburn Cirrus Minor 2 four-cylinder in-line air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

During the latter stages of World War II the Taylorcraft design team decided to build a lower powered version of the Auster Mk 5 and a prototype, originally known as the Taylorcraft Auster Mk 5 Series J-1 Autocrat, was built and flown. Compared with the Mk 5, the J-1 had several modifications: the rear upper cabin tube was removed and corner braces substituted; a single one-piece moulded windscreen was fitted; and the cabin had a shorter rear cabin canopy and side windows. Also, the shock mounted, blind-flying panel was deleted and a basic fixed instrument panel was substituted.

The airframe was constructed of welded steel tube with a light secondary frame of ply formers and spruce stringers; wings were formed on laminated spruce spars with light alloy ribs, metal skinned on the leading-edge D-section with V-strut bracing; and mechanically operated split-flaps, the aircraft overall being fabric covered. The ailerons were of the Frise type; the rudder was mass-balanced and had a ground-adjustable trim tab; and the undercarriage was of the rubber bungee cord type, with cable-operated drum brakes operated via heel-pedals and an umbrella type handbrake. Accommodation was provided for three, the rear seat facing sideways.

The J-1 Autocrat appeared in advertisements as “…with Cirrus Minor is a three seater of exceptionally good take-off, climb and landing performances. Loaded to 1,700 lb, it takes off in a 5 mph breeze in only 150 yards. The landing run is under 100 yards (stalling speed with full flap 25 mph). Cruising speed is 100 mph, top speed 120 mph. Grass landing strips of 400 yards are ample”.

The J-1A was produced in 1949 and this model involved the installation of a rear bench seat into a standard J-1, mainly being aimed at the joy-riding market. A small number of conversions was made but eventually most reverted to the normal three-seat configuration. A total of 420 three-seat Auster J-1s, as they were known, was built, followed by the J-1A with four seats. A number were fitted with Gipsy Major engines and the small J-1 rudder, and these became known as the J-5 Adventurer. The majority of these were imported to the Australasian region.

Seventeen were imported to Australia and included: VH-ABB (c/n 2239 – ex G-AJAG) which crashed at Morphetvale, SA on 28 November 1964; VH-AJE (c/n 1974 – ex G-AGVO); VH-AEW (c/n 2347); VH-AIK (c/n 2174 – ex G-AIGL); VH-AJQ (c/n 2206 – ex G-AIPY); VH-ALM (c/n 2626 – ex G-AJUN); VH-ALO (c/n 2164 – ex G-AIGO); VH-AQN/VH-AQO/VH-SAD; (c/n 2341 – ex G-AJIX); VH-ASI (c/n 2150 – ex G-AIBP); VH-AYO/VH-WLB (c/n 2155 – ex G-AIBT); and VH-BDQ (c/n 2147 – ex G-AIBL).

VH-AMK (c/n 2615 – ex G-AJRP); VH-BGB/VH-KEV/VH-WMM (c/n 1991 – ex G-AGYJ); VH-DDY/VH-RQJ/VH-BOJ (c/n 1894 – ex G-AGXD) fitted with a 90 kw (120 hp) Lycoming engine in the 1960s; VH-KEA (c/n 2114 – ex VA-KDZ, VP-UAJ); VH-PAB/VH-AEW (c/n 2347 – ex G-AJPY); VH-WFB (c/n 2189); and VH-WRB (c/n 1876 – ex G-AGVR).

A number of Auster J-1s were imported to New Zealand in the 1950s and of those which survive only two still have their original Cirrus Minor engine, these being ZK-AUX (c/n 1994/2 – ex G-AERO) and ZK-BJL (c/n 2327). Auster J-1s registered have included: ZK-ATH (c/n 2649); ZK-ATS (c/n 2157 – ex G-AIBV); ZK-AUB (c/n 1971); ZK-AUF (c/n 2238 – G-AJAF); ZK-AUG (c/n 2635 – ex G-AJUX); ZK-AUI (c/n 2175); ZK-AUL (c/n 2310) which was was rebuilt in 1953 with new fuselage c/n 304FM, the original fuselage being incorporated into ZK-BQD; ZK-AUO (c/n 1955 – G-AHAX); ZK-AWH (c/n 1865 – [J1CON] ex G-AHAW, [HB-EUK]); ZK-AWI (c/n 2620 – G-AJUH); ZK-AXO (c/n 2637 – ex G-AJUZ; and ZK-BQD (c/n 2310).

Due to the better performance of the Gipsy-powered Autocrat, a number were fitted with this engine and became known as the J-1N Alpha. With an enlarged fin and rudder to compensate for the increased power and nose length, they differed from the J-5.

In Australia a few Autocrats were modified to some extent. One VH-BOJ (c/n 1894) was fitted with a 90 kw (120 hp) Lycoming engine; another VH-AYJ (c/n 2346 – ex G-AJPX) was fitted with a 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming engine in 1959 by Kingsford Smith Aviation at Bankstown, NSW, becoming known as the Kingsford Smith Kingsmith, appearing on the civil register as an Auster J/1BL.

In Queensland another VH-SCO (c/n 2806 – ex VH-DDX, VH-KSG) was fitted with crop-spraying equipment and a 142 kw (190 hp) Lycoming O-435 engine by Agricultural Aviation Pty Ltd in 1962. However, it was badly damaged in an accident in 1965. It was restored in 1986 but was destroyed in an accident at Luskintyre, NSW in the following year.

Another VH-ALO (c/n 2164) was registered as a J-1-A1, this being a re-engined J-1 fitted with a 97 kw (130 hp) Gipsy Major 1C engine but retaining the standard small fin and rudder, this aircraft having a rate of climb of 183 m/min (600 ft/min) at 1,950 rpm and a cruising speed of 148 km/h (92 mph) at 1,850 rpm.

In New Zealand one ZK-AUF (c/n 2238) was fitted with a Lycoming O-320-E1A engine and became known as a J-1M.