Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Three-seat cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

One 97 kw (130 hp) de Havilland Gipsy Major 1 four-cylinder in-line air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

Introduced in 1950, the prototype Auster J-1B Aiglet was a converted Auster J-1 Autocrat with a Gipsy Major 1 engine and a larger horn-balanced rudder. Apart from the fuel system, the J-1B Aiglet was almost identical to the J-1N. Conceived as a crop sprayer and agricultural aircraft, some 86 Aiglets were built. The majority of these were imported engineless to Australia for completion and distribution by Kingsford Smith Aviation Services Pty Ltd at Bankstown, NSW. About 30 have appeared on the Australian register and quite a number are still registered.

Those imported to Australia included: VH-BEM/VH-SHS (c/n 2704 – ex VR-WAB); VH-EHP (c/n 2667 – ex ZK-AWS); VH-KAD/VH-SAC/VH-MJA/VH-SJR (c/n 2643 – ex OO-AXC); VH-KAI/VH-FAF (c/n 2651) which crashed at Hoxton Park, NSW on 14 October 1957; VH-KAB (c/n 2644); VH-KAH (c/n 2654); VH-KAJ (c/n 2661); VH-KAK/VH-BWK (c/n 2662) which crashed at Ardrossan, SA on 3 July 1953; VH-KAO (c/n 2664); VH-KAQ (c/n 2665); VH-KAU (c/n 2670); VH-KAW/VH-WFA/VH-WWG (c/n 2671); VH-KAZ (c/n 2672); VH-KBJ (c/n 2678); VH-AAE (c/n 2680); VH-KBC (c/n 2681); VH-KBE (c/n 2682); VH-KBG (c/n 2683); VH-KBI (c/n 2684); VH-KBK (c/n 2685).

VH-KBO (c/n 2686); VH-KBN/VH-BYO (c/n 2687); VH-KBS/VH-SAB (c/n 2688) which crashed at Mundubboro, QLD on 29 June 1967 and was rebuilt with fuselage c/n 2643 as VH-SJR; VH-KBQ (c/n 2689); VH-KBV (c/n 2690); VH-ABE (c/n 2693 – ex G-AJAG); VH-KBU (c/n 2694); VH-KBX/VH-RSM/VH-TTS (c/n 2695); VH-ABD (c/n 2696); VH-KBY (c/n 2697), VH-ABI (c/n 2698) which crashed at Tharwa, NSW on 22 November 1952; VH-ABS (c/n 2699); VH-ADQ (c/n 2701); VH-ABQ/VH-BWG/VH-WFE/VH-WAZ (c/n 2702); VH-ABP (c/n 2703); VH-ACY (c/n 2705); VH-BYB (c/n 2746) exported in March 1954; and VH-ASQ (c/n 2747).

One VH-ABD² (c/n 2696) was converted to crop-spraying configuration, the under-fuselage fuel tank being removed and a delivery pump installed, the spraying equipment being fitted by the owner and a 182 litre (40 Imp gal) storage tank installed, being mounted to the rear of the cockpit alongside the pilots seat. Wind pressure operated the spraying propeller forcing the spray through the boom and the aircraft operated in the Sanderston area of South Australia. It was written off when it crashed into a dam at Swan Reach, SA on 16 April 1972.

A number of examples were shipped to New Zealand in the 1950s and a number survive. Those registered included: ZK-ATO (c/n 2640); ZK-AWS (c/n 2667 and 386W); ZK-AWT (c/n 2636 – ex G-AJUY); ZK-AWY (c/n 2668); ZK-AXE (c/n 2673); ZK-AXF (c/n 2674); ZK-AXL (c/n 2677); ZK-AXM (c/n 2676); ZK-AYO (c/n 2710); ZK-AYP (c/n 2711); ZK-AYU (c/n 2730); ZK-AZD (c/n 2750); ZK-AZE (c/n 2748); ZK-AZT (c/n 2751); ZK-AZU (c/n 2752); ZK-BAQ (c/n 2663); ZK-BBY (c/n 3103); ZK-BCS (c/n 3112); ZK-BDL (c/n 3116); ZK-BDM (c/n 3117); ZK-BDQ (c/n 3119); ZK-BDT (c/n 3118); ZK-BDX (c/n 3122); ZK-BWH (c/n 3103); and ZK-CHA (c/n 225.V2711).

At least one in New Zealand, ZK-BDX, operated with skis, the skis being actuated by a handle above the strut-fitting by the left window, and on one occasion landed with the skis down on a runway and turned over. This aircraft was flown on to the Tasman Glacier on a number of occasions by Harold Wigley in the 1950s, this being an early part of the Mount Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist Company operations on to the glacier, the Auster being based at The Hermitage and being used to show tourists the scenic attractions during the winter months. A re-enactment of these flights took place in late 1975, the Auster being landed beside five Cessna 185 skiplanes and a Britten Norman Islander ZK-MCE also fitted with skis.

One New Zealand J-1B Aiglet ZK-ATO was fitted with a converted 3.5 litre Rover eight-cylinder VEE motor car engine in 1987 at Napier.