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Avro Anson

The Story of Avro Anson

Avro Anson is a militarized version of the Avro 652 commercial personnel carrier. The Anson itself is built to DAA specification 18/35 and was originally intended for use as a maritime reconnaissance platform.

With such a dramatic change in technology and professional roles in the 1930s, the Avro Anson was all but (and soon) forgotten, if not for its inherent rugged qualities and versatility that made it useful for training pilots. Bombardier and Gunner.

The advent of World War II made Anson the future of the main trainer and multi-role platform for the UK, its Commonwealth countries and countries around the world.

The Anson (Avro 652A) made its first flight in this new militarized form on March 24, 1935. Evaluation of the system led to initial production of the Anson Mk I model series, with first deliveries in March 1936. The 48th Squadron RAF became the first user of this type.

The RAF used 264 Ansons as transport and communications platforms, codenamed C 19. 252 examples were also used as navigation trainers, codenamed T 21. Anson T 22 is an RAF 54 radio trainer. The RAF Ansons at its peak consisted of 26 squadrons.

Australia was the main operator of the Commonwealth, consuming no less than 1,028 Ansons by 1955.

Avro XIX (also known as "Avro XIX") is a derivative of Anson for civilian passenger services. Two production series form the brand, with a total of 56 copies.

Notable foreign deliveries include 60 T-20 navigation and bomber trainers exported to Southern Rhodesia, 12 Anson 18 communications and reconnaissance aircraft (descent from Avro XIX) and 13 Anson pilots delivered to Afghanistan Trainer 18C sent to India. The U.S.

Army Air Force took delivery of 50 Canadian-built Ansons and renamed them AT-20s.

Avro Anson was produced from 1935 to 1952, with 11,020 built. Avro took over production in the UK, with a total of 8,138 built, while Commonwealth Aircraft Ltd. produced another 2,882 locally in Canada. The RAF Ansens did not retire until 1968, 33 years after the aircraft was in service.

At least 27 countries around the world use Anson in some form.

Avro Anson is named after British Admiral George Anson, 1st Baron Anson who served in the Royal Navy from 1712 to 1762 and fought in wars such as the War of the Austrian Succession, the Jenkins Earl War and Conflicts such as the Seven Years' War' war.

Specification

Basic

Year:

1936

Status:

Retired, out of service

Staff:

3 to 5

Production

[11,020 units]:

Avro / A.V. Roe - UK

Roles

- Traffic

- Reconnaissance (RECCE)

- Education

Dimensions

Length:

42.26 ft (12.88 m)

Width:

56.50 ft (17.22 m)

Height:

3.99m

Weight

Curb Weight:

2,500 kg

MTOW:

3,900 kg

(difference: +3,086 pt)

Performance

2 x Armstrong Siddeley "Cheetah" IX 7-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, each 350 hp driving a twin-blade propeller unit.

Performance

Maximum Speed:

188 mph (303 km/h; 164 knots)

Service Limit:

18,999 ft (5,791 m; 3.6 mi)

Maximum range:

808 miles (1,300 km; 702 nautical miles)

Rate of climb:

750 ft/min (229 m/min)

Armor

Optional:

Up to 4 x 7.7mm Vickers machine guns mounted in the front hull, rear turret and nacelle.

Internally loaded with conventionally thrown bombs up to 500 lbs.

Changes

Anson C. Mk I - Designated production model for RAF Coast Command; redesigned larger crew compartment and new empennage; 2 x 350 or 395 hp Cheetah IX radial engines; 6,688 copies made .

Anson C. Mk II - Ansons made in Canada; 1,822 prototypes produced using 2 x Jacobs L-6MB R-915 330hp stock engines.

Anson C. Mk III - British built Ansons with 2 x Jacobs L-6MB R-915 330hp factory engines.

Anson C. Mk IV - British built Ansons with 2 x Wright Whirlwind R-975 production engines.

Anson C. Mk V - Ansons made in Canada with 2 x Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior R-985 450hp factory engines; used for navigation training; 1,069 copies made.

Anson C. Mk VI - Single Canadian Made Example with 2 x Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior R-985 450hp Factory Engines; Bomb and Shooting Instructor.

Anson C. Mk X - 104 Anson Mk I examples converted to Mk X models.

Anson C. Mk 11 - 90 Anson Mk I example converted to Mk 11 model.

Anson C. Mk 12 - 20 Anson Mk I example converted to Mk 12 model; 221 examples of other new buildings.

Anson C. Mk XIII - with 2 x Cheetah XI OR Cheetah XIX engines; proposed target practice platform; never in production.

Anson C. Mk XIV - with 2 x Cheetah XV engines; proposed target practice platform; never put into production.

Anson C. Mk XVI - Proposed Navigation Instructor; never in production.

Anson C. Mk XV - Proposed bomb trainer; never put into production.

Anson C 19 - communications/transport aircraft for the RAF; 264 copies made.

Anson T 20 - Bombing/shooting trainer for the RAF; 60 copies made.

Anson T 21 - Navigation trainer for the RAF; 252 copies made.

Anson T 22 - Radio trainer for the RAF; 54 copies made.