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Avro Anson

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The Avro Anson represents a British twin-engine aircraft designed for multiple roles, produced by the manufacturer Avro. It served extensively with the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force, and several other air forces before, during, and following the Second World War.

Originally designated as the Avro 652A, this model was developed in the mid-1930s as an evolution of the earlier Avro 652 airliner, responding to a British Air Ministry tender for a coastal maritime reconnaissance aircraft. After impressing the Ministry, a single prototype was commissioned and achieved its first flight on 24 March 1935. The Type 652A outperformed its competitor, the de Havilland DH.89, during evaluations, resulting in its selection. Consequently, the aircraft became the foundation of Air Ministry Specification 18/35, with an initial batch of 174 units ordered in July 1935. The aircraft was subsequently named in honour of British Admiral George Anson.

Entering service with the RAF, the Anson initially fulfilled its intended role in maritime reconnaissance alongside larger flying boats. However, after the onset of World War II, it quickly became outdated for frontline combat tasks. Instead, many were reassigned as multi-engine aircrew trainers due to their suitability for this function, becoming a cornerstone of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The aircraft remained active in training and communication roles throughout and beyond the war, staying in RAF use until 28 June 1968.

Following the war, a limited number of new Ansons—referred to as Avro 19s—were produced for civilian use, alongside numerous conversions from surplus military models. These served as light transport and executive planes. By production’s end in 1952, Avro had built a total of 8,138 Ansons across nine variants. Additionally, Federal Aircraft Ltd in Canada manufactured another 2,882 units starting from 1941. Although most Ansons were retired by the twenty-first century, a few continue to participate in flying exhibitions.

Development

In 1933, the British Air Ministry issued a request for the Royal Air Force (RAF) to obtain an affordable landplane intended for coastal maritime reconnaissance missions. This aircraft was meant to complement the more advanced yet costly flying boats already utilized by the RAF for such tasks. The Air Ministry invited British manufacturers to submit designs. In response, Avro presented the Avro 652A, an adaptation of their earlier twin-engine, six-seat monoplane airliner, the Avro 652. Meanwhile, de Havilland proposed a design derived from their D.H.89A Dragon Rapide biplane. Following an assessment of the proposals, the Air Ministry commissioned one prototype each from Avro and de Havilland—the Type 652A and the de Havilland DH.89—for evaluation late in 1934. The plan was to complete testing and select a model for production by May 1935.

The Avro 652A completed its first flight on 24 March 1935 at Woodford Aerodrome, Greater Manchester. Between 11 and 17 May 1935, the RAF's Coastal Defence Development Unit conducted formal trials at RAF Gosport, Hampshire, comparing the Avro prototype with the DH.89M. The Avro design demonstrated superior performance and was declared the winner on 25 May 1935. Consequently, the Air Ministry Specification G.18/35 was drafted around the Type 652A, and by July 1935, an initial order for 174 aircraft—designated "Anson"—was placed.

The first production Anson took to the air on 31 December 1935. Modifications from the prototype included a larger horizontal tailplane and a shortened elevator span to enhance stability. Unlike the prototype, production models were designed to accommodate flaps from the outset, improving glide angle and reducing landing speed. Deliveries to the RAF began on 6 March 1936. By the conclusion of production in 1952, a total of 11,020 Ansons had been built, ranking it as the second most produced British multi-engine aircraft during the Second World War, surpassed only by approximately 11,500 Vickers Wellington medium bombers.

Design

File:Avro Anson - Royal Air Force Transport Command, 1943-1945. CH16482.jpg
View inside an Anson C Mark XI, looking forward from the passenger area toward the cockpit

The Avro Anson was designed as a twin-engine, low-wing cantilever monoplane. Conceived primarily for general reconnaissance duties, it featured attributes well-suited to this role such as substantial payload capacity and extended operational range. Its construction was straightforward and robust, employing established techniques to produce an airframe that demanded minimal maintenance. Many internal structural elements were reminiscent of its predecessor, the Avro 652 airliner. The Anson Mk I incorporated a low-mounted, one-piece wooden wing composed of plywood and spruce throughout its wingbox and rib framework. The fuselage consisted of a welded steel tube structure predominantly covered in fabric; however, the nose exterior was sheathed in a magnesium alloy known as Elektron.

Power came from two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX seven-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, each delivering 350 horsepower (260 kW). Each engine featured separate fuel pumps and dedicated fuel and oil tanks constructed from welded aluminum and housed within wing-mounted cradles. The engine cowlings were deliberately designed with reduced diameters to minimize obstruction of external visibility—a critical factor for reconnaissance effectiveness. These engines drove two-bladed metal propellers manufactured by Fairey Aviation Company.

Notably, the Anson was the first RAF aircraft equipped with retractable landing gear. The main wheels retracted into recesses beneath each engine nacelle while the tail wheel remained fixed in place. Typically, Dunlop-supplied wheels, tyres, pneumatic brakes, and Turner legs were installed on the undercarriage. Retraction was manually operated via a hand crank situated beside the pilot’s seat; it required 144 rotations to fully raise or lower the gear. Due to this labor-intensive process, early operations often involved short flights with landing gear extended throughout, which reduced cruising speed by approximately 30 mph (50 km/h).

File:Avro.anson.arp.jpg
G-VROE, an Anson C.21 preserved by the Classic Air Force, photographed in 2005

Initially configured for a crew of three—a pilot, navigator/bomb aimer, and radio operator/gunner—the Anson’s maritime reconnaissance role expanded from 1938 onward to include four crew members. The bomb aimer operated prone in the nose section outfitted with a bombsight, driftsight, landing light, and other necessary instruments. Positioned behind this station was the pilot’s cockpit equipped with contemporary flight instruments enabling operation under instrument flight rules (IFR), along with indirect lighting suitable for night flying.

Directly aft of the pilot’s position on the starboard side was a folding seat intended for an additional crew member or passenger; adjacent racks held parachute packs clipped onto harnesses worn by both pilot and navigator. Further aft lay the navigator’s station featuring a chair and table equipped with navigational tools such as compasses, Bigsworth chart boards, sea markers, slide rules for calculating course adjustments due to wind and speed variations, signalling lamps, and float flares. Behind this area was the wireless operator’s post containing radio equipment including a winch system for deploying a trailing aerial mounted atop the fuselage behind the cockpit.

Armament consisted of a single fixed .303 inch (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun mounted in the forward fuselage and aimed by the pilot; additionally, a manually operated dorsal gun turret built by Armstrong Whitworth housed one Lewis gun. The aircraft could carry up to 360 pounds (160 kg) of bombs within its wings—typically two 100 pounds (45 kg) bombs plus eight 20 pounds (9 kg) bombs. Training variants were generally fitted with dual controls and had their gun turrets removed; however, specialized gunnery trainers featured hydraulically operated Bristol turrets similar to those used on Bristol Blenheims. The starboard nacelle’s tail fairing contained an inflatable dinghy equipped with automatic deployment mechanisms and marine distress beacons.

Operational history

File:Avro Anson K8758.jpg
RAF Ansons participating in airborne radar trials in 1937.

The Anson was introduced into RAF service on 6 March 1936, with No. 48 Squadron becoming the first unit to operate the type. Its arrival marked a significant advancement for the RAF, fulfilling roles beyond general reconnaissance by functioning effectively as a versatile utility aircraft. In July 1937, an Anson assigned to Coastal Command was equipped with an experimental airborne early warning radar system capable of detecting large warships at distances up to 5 miles (8.0 km) in poor visibility conditions; this technology proved successful during fleet exercises off England’s east coast in September of that year.

By the onset of the Second World War, the RAF had acquired 824 Ansons, with 26 squadrons operating the Anson I model—10 within Coastal Command and 16 under Bomber Command. By 1939, all Bomber Command squadrons flying the Anson I served primarily as operational training units, preparing aircrews for frontline assignments. Twelve of these squadrons were part of No. 6 (Operational Training) Group. Crews who had completed individual flying and technical instruction were trained as bomber teams on Ansons before transitioning to operational aircraft types within the same squadrons, including models like the Fairey Battle, Bristol Blenheim, Vickers Wellington, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, or Handley-Page Hampden.

File:Royal Air Force Coastal Command, 1939-1945. CH1079.jpg
An Anson from No. 320 (Netherlands) Squadron, Coastal Command, preparing for a patrol mission around 1940–1941

Prior to the war’s outbreak, it became apparent that the Anson’s performance was inadequate for its principal role as a maritime patrol aircraft. Consequently, in 1938, plans were made to replace it with the American-built Lockheed Hudson, which offered superior speed—100 mph faster—threefold greater range, heavier bomb capacity, and enhanced defensive armament. The initial squadron began Hudson training by September 1939; however, remaining Coastal Command units continued operations with Ansons at war’s start. With an endurance limited to four hours, the Anson could only be deployed over the North Sea and adjacent coastal regions but lacked sufficient range for missions reaching Norway’s coast. Its anti-submarine weaponry consisted of two small 100 lb bombs requiring direct hits on submarine hulls to be effective in theory. On 3 December 1939, an Anson mistakenly attacked the Royal Navy submarine HMS Snapper while surfaced; although it struck the conning tower, damage was limited to four broken light bulbs. Earlier, in September off Scotland’s coast, an Anson from No. 233 Squadron experienced a friendly fire incident when its bombs detonated prematurely after bouncing on water surface, rupturing fuel tanks and forcing a ditch near St Andrews. Despite numerous wartime claims of successful U-boat engagements by Ansons, postwar German records indicate minimal inflicted damage.

File:Avro Ansons 1940 SLNSW FL19137630.jpg
Avro Anson aircraft in Sydney, Australia, dated 19 March 1940

Although outdated by wartime standards, Ansons contributed during the Dunkirk evacuation by discouraging attacks from German E-boats on Allied shipping. On 1 June 1940 near Dunkirk, three Ansons were engaged by nine Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters; unverified reports suggest one Anson downed two enemy aircraft and damaged another without losses.

The platform found greater success as a trainer for multi-engine bomber pilots such as those flying the Avro Lancaster. Introduced to Flying Training Schools in November 1936, it replaced obsolete bombers previously used for twin-engine instruction. Beyond pilot training, the Anson served to prepare other bomber crew members including navigators, wireless operators, bomb aimers, and air gunners. After World War II, it continued fulfilling roles in training and light transport until its final withdrawal from RAF communications units on 28 June 1968.

Throughout the conflict years from 1939 to 1945, the British Air Transport Auxiliary utilized the Anson extensively as a standard taxi aircraft to ferry groups of pilots between aircraft collection points. The type maintained an excellent safety record in ATA service with no fatal mechanical failures reported.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) initially procured 33 Ansons in November 1935 aimed at maritime reconnaissance duties; deliveries began in 1936 and by war’s start they operated 48 units. The RAAF ultimately flew a total of 1,028 Ansons—mostly Mk Is—with operations continuing until 1955.

During World War II, the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) employed 23 Ansons primarily as navigation trainers alongside larger numbers of Airspeed Oxford aircraft and acquired additional examples postwar for communication purposes. A preserved RNZAF navigation trainer is displayed at Wigram’s Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

The Royal Indian Air Force incorporated several Ansons within No.1 Service Flying Training School (India) for pilot and navigation instruction; these aircraft remained active after independence under Indian control before eventual retirement at an unspecified date.

The combined efforts of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) saw operation of approximately 4,413 Ansons—1,962 imported from Britain and another 2,451 produced domestically in Canada. The RCN continued using them until 1952. While primarily assigned to training under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, some Canadian-built examples were pressed into operational service with RCAF's Eastern Air Command during wartime emergencies such as those described in a Royal Canadian Legion magazine article detailing Atlantic patrols conducted by mobilized General Reconnaissance Schools using Avro Ansons armed with two 250-pound bombs each. Although initially ineffective in anti-submarine warfare within RAF service, these aircraft functioned as deterrents against U-boat activity along Canada’s eastern seaboard.

The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) operated fifty Canadian-manufactured Ansons under the designation AT-20.

In addition to Commonwealth operators, the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) employed a fleet of Ansons for communication and VIP transport duties; notably one specially outfitted example was presented by the RAF to Egypt's monarch at that time. The Royal Afghan Air Force acquired thirteen Anson Mk XVIII aircraft from 1948 onward for various roles; these remained operational until approximately 1972.

Postwar civilian applications

File:Avro Anson 11 G-ALIH Ecko Electronics Blackbushe 1955.jpg
Anson 11 G-ALIH operated by Ekco Electronics at Blackbushe, Hampshire, September 1955

Following the conclusion of World War II, Avro resumed production of the Anson at Woodford. During this period, a significant number of these aircraft were adapted for civilian purposes, serving as light transport planes for various small charter operators and as executive aircraft for major corporations. Civilian use of Ansons was notable in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada (limited to Mk. V models), Australia, and Mexico.

File:Avro 652A XIX.2 G-AHIC Kemps SGT 06.10.66 edited-2.jpg
Anson XIX utilized for aerial survey missions in the UK until 1973

In 1946 and 1947, Railway Air Services operated Ansons on scheduled routes connecting London's Croydon Airport with Manchester and Belfast (Nutts Corner). Sivewright Airways ran three Mk XIX Ansons from their base at Manchester Airport, conducting local charter flights, services to Jersey, and trips to Ronaldsway Airport on the Isle of Man until 1951. Between 1949 and 1952, Finglands Airways employed a former RAF Anson I for inclusive tour operations and scheduled flights from Manchester Airport to Newquay Airport. Kemps Aerial Surveys utilized several Anson XIXs for survey assignments across the UK until their withdrawal in 1973.

In 1948, India placed an order for twelve new Anson 18Cs intended for use by the Directorate of Civil Aviation as training and communication aircraft; these were delivered from Yeadon in early 1949.

Production of Ansons at Avro's Woodford facility continued until March 1952, primarily supplying the RAF. The aircraft remained in service as trainers and Station communications platforms until 1968.

In Australia, wooden-winged Ansons exhibited a high incidence of structural failures due to delamination of phenolic glue joints, a problem attributed to the region’s elevated humidity levels. Consequently, in 1962, the Commonwealth Government mandated the grounding of most wooden-winged aircraft still flying, including the Anson and the De Havilland Mosquito. The regulatory test required to re-register these aircraft involved wing destruction necessitating replacement wings. As a result, most owners opted to retire their aircraft voluntarily well before this directive took effect.

By the latter part of the 20th century, nearly all Ansons had been withdrawn from active service. However, three examples remained operational at airshows—two located in the United Kingdom and one in New Zealand. Additionally, as of 2016, a fourth Anson was undergoing restoration to airworthy condition in Canada.

Accidents and incidents

Rear three-quarter view of two military monoplanes lying wheels down on a field, one atop the other
The two Ansons involved in the Brocklesby mid-air collision of 1940 lying interlocked in a paddock
Two military monoplanes lying wheels down on a field, one atop the other
Engines and forward sections of the two Ansons
  • On 11 September 1937, Anson K8778 from No. 233 Squadron RAF crashed into the Gisborough Moor escarpment above Guisborough in the North Riding of Yorkshire amid poor visibility while returning from a Royal Navy exercise, resulting in the loss of all four crew members.[1]
  • On 10 August 1938, RAAF Anson A4-29 emerged from thick cloud and crashed into Arthurs Seat, Victoria, causing four fatalities among the crew and leaving one survivor.[2][3]
  • Anson A4-32 of No. 6 Squadron RAAF crashed near Riverstone, New South Wales on 28 April 1939 during the return phase of an air navigation course, killing all four crew members aboard.[4]
  • Shortly after takeoff from RAAF Base Richmond, Anson N4887 belonging to No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF crashed on Richmond Golf Course on 18 December 1939, resulting in the deaths of all five crew members.[5]
  • On 29 September 1940, two Ansons—L9162 and N4876—from No. 2 Service Flying Training School RAAF collided mid-flight and became locked together. Despite this, they executed a successful emergency landing at Brocklesby, New South Wales. Following the incident, L9162 was repurposed as a ground training airframe, while N4876 was repaired and returned to operational status (refer to 1940 Brocklesby mid-air collision).
  • RAF Pilot Officer Frederick Phillip Fry was piloting Anson N9945 when it struck a barrage balloon cable near Birmingham on 8 November 1940; the crash resulted in five fatalities onboard.
  • On a medical evacuation mission departing Parkes for Mascot on 28 January 1941, RAAF Anson A4-5 suffered structural failure of its port wing near Glenbrook and crashed close to Cliffton Ave and Lucasville Road; all five crew perished.
  • Anson N9857 from 19 Operational Training Unit at RAF Kinloss crashed on Beinn an Fhurain at approximately 2,300 feet (700 m) elevation about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Inchnadamph on 13 April 1941. While at least four of six aircrew initially survived the crash, they later succumbed to exposure during blizzard conditions; their remains lie at the crash site.[6]
  • On 17 April 1942, RAF Wigtown's Anson W2630 collided with Cairnsmore of Fleet mountain’s eastern slope near Creetown in southwest Scotland. The impact caused an explosion that killed both the pilot and a civilian passenger; however, the wireless operator survived despite severe burns.[7]
  • During a navigation training sortie out of Millom, Cumbria on 2 July 1942, Anson Mk.I N5297 from No.2 Observers Advanced Flying Unit (O)AFU crashed at Shalloch-on-Minnoch in South Ayrshire. All five airmen aboard—including three trainees—were killed.[8]
  • Four Royal Australian Air Force airmen lost their lives when their Anson crashed near Clackline, Western Australia on 9 October 1942; their memory is honored by the Avro Anson Memorial.
  • On 30 October 1942, an Anson departed Sidney airport on Vancouver Island with Royal Canadian Air Force Sgt. William Baird and British Air Force Pilot Officers Charles Fox and Anthony Lawrence plus Sgt. Robert Luckock aboard. The aircraft crashed approximately 50 kilometres (30 mi) from takeoff on a remote mountainside near Port Renfrew, killing all onboard. The wreckage and remains were discovered by loggers in October 2013 and recovered in May 2014.[9]
  • On 2 November 1942, Anson DG919 from No.67 Squadron RAAF (attached Laverton) overran Mallacoota Airfield’s runway in Victoria, Australia. The aircraft collided with a quarry causing detonation of three onboard 100 lb anti-submarine bombs; crew Sergeant John Hueston Sawrey, Sergeant Leonard Arthur Lupton, and Sergeant Ralph Cassidy were killed.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
  • During a routine nighttime training mission over Lake Huron on 28 November 1942, Anson I N9838 from No.38 Air Navigation School (Canada) RAF operating out of RCAF Station Port Albert lost contact approximately fifteen minutes after takeoff. The pilot Sergeant Leslie Shaw, Flight Sergeant Robert Brown (Free French Air Force), Leading Aircraftman Cecil James, and Aircraftman First Class William Addis were never recovered. Icing on wings was suspected as a potential cause but no official determination was made.[10]
  • Another piggyback landing occurred on 7 December 1943 when RCAF #18 SFTS Anson II JS193 landed atop Anson II JS167 during approach at Gimli, Manitoba. Both planes touched down safely while still locked together and were subsequently repaired.[11]
  • On January 19th, 1944, RCAF #2 Training Command’s Anson II #7164 landed atop another Anson II #8561; both aircraft remained entangled but managed safe landings. While #8561 was repaired after damage, #7164 was declared a total loss.[12]
  • A USAAF AT-20 (Anson II) serial number 43-8197 operated by the USAAF’s 29(PR) Squadron crashed upon takeoff at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma City on February 13th, 1944 killing Second Lieutenant S.F. Jankowski and injuring pilot V.N. Luber due to failure to remove gust locks from controls prior to flight—the sole fatal accident involving this model under USAAF operation.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
  • On December 19th, 1945 a Companhia Meridional de Transportes’ Avro Anson Mk II registered as PP-MTA crashed near Itaipu neighborhood in Niterói, Brazil resulting in fatalities including airline owner and pilot Álvaro Araújo.[13]
  • Mark I AX505 (formerly VH-BBY), recently acquired by Indonesia as RI-003 for transporting war supplies and medicine crashed into sea between Malaya and Sumatra on December14th,1947 killing both crew members who were later honored as Indonesian National Heroes; a memorial featuring a sculpture of the aircraft commemorates them.[14]
  • Avro XIX G-AGNI operated by Lancashire Aircraft Corporation ditched off Bradda Head on Isle of Man due to fuel exhaustion during scheduled passenger service from Blackpool’s Squires Gate Airport to Ronaldsway Airport via RAF Walney Island on June11th ,1948; all nine onboard were rescued by local trawlers including one from Port Erin and MV Silkthorn.[15]

Variants

The primary version of the Anson was the Mk I, with a total production of 6,704 units in the United Kingdom. Variations among other models were largely defined by their engines, with Canadian-manufactured Ansons incorporating locally sourced powerplants. To address shortages of steel, the Canadian-built Mk V Ansons—totaling 1,051—featured fuselages constructed from plywood.

File:AvroAnsonCameraInstallJuly1944.jpg
A Sergeant from No. 14 (P) Squadron, RCAF, fitting a vertical camera into an Avro Anson V at Rockcliffe, Ontario, on 4 July 1944
Mk I
A total of 6,688 Mk I aircraft were produced, equipped with two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX engines rated at 350 hp or the more powerful Cheetah XIX engines delivering 395 hp.
Mk II
Canada manufactured 1,401 Mk II models powered by two Jacobs L-6MB R-915 engines producing 330 hp each; these featured hydraulic landing gear retraction instead of the manual system found on the Mk I.
Mk III
This variant involved converting 432 Mk I aircraft in Canada to utilize two Jacobs L-6MB R-915 engines rated at 330 hp.
Mk IV
A single Mk I was converted in Canada to incorporate two Wright R-975 Whirlwind engines.
Mk V
Built in Canada for navigator instruction, 1,069 Mk Vs were powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior engines generating 450 hp each and incorporated a new wooden monocoque fuselage design. Early versions numbering 77 that utilized Mk II components were designated as Mk VA.
Mk VI
One unit was produced in Canada for bombing and gunnery training roles, fitted with two R-985 Wasp Junior engines each producing 450 hp.
Mk X
Conversion of 104 Mk I aircraft into Mk Xs featuring strengthened flooring for transport duties.
Mk XI
Ninety Mk I aircraft were modified into Mk XI variants.
Mk XII
Twenty Mk I aircraft were converted into Mk XIIs alongside the construction of 221 new Mk XII units.
Mk XIII
Planned as a gunnery trainer powered by Cheetah XI or XIX engines but never entered production.
Mk XIV
Proposed gunnery trainer variant with Cheetah XV engines that was not built.
Mk XVI
Intended navigation trainer model that remained unproduced.
Mk XV
Designed as a bombing trainer but never manufactured.
C 19
A total of 264 units served the RAF primarily in communication and transport roles.
T 20
This navigation trainer for the RAF was derived from the Mk XIX to satisfy Air Ministry Specification T.24/46 for overseas navigation instruction. It accommodated one pilot, two wireless operators (one trainee and one instructor), and five navigator positions (three trainees and two instructors). Sixty were built and used for bombing and navigation training in Southern Rhodesia.
T 21
Another RAF navigation trainer based on the Mk XIX meeting Air Ministry Specification T.25/46 for domestic navigation training. It featured similar crew arrangements as the T 20. The prototype first flew in May 1948, followed by production of 252 units.
C.21
Adaptations of T.21 aircraft configured for communication and transport purposes.
T 22
Radio training variant designed to meet Air Ministry Specification T.26/46 for the RAF. It included one pilot and four wireless operator stations (three trainee positions plus one instructor). The prototype flew in June 1948, with fifty-four produced.
Anson 18
Derived from the Avro Nineteen series, twelve units were delivered to the Royal Afghan Air Force for communications, police patrols, and aerial survey missions.
Anson 18C
Thirteen aircraft were constructed for India’s government use, primarily to train civilian aircrew members.
Avro Nineteen (also known as Anson XIX)
A civil transport version with fifty-six aircraft built across two production runs.
AT-20
The designation assigned by United States military forces to Canadian-built Anson II models used by the US Army Air Forces, totaling fifty units produced.

Operators

Template:Main list

From 1935 through the early 1970s, the Avro Anson served both military and civilian users. The foremost operators included the Royal Air Force with over 5,000 units, the Royal Canadian Air Force with 4,413, and the Royal Australian Air Force which operated 936 aircraft.[16]

Surviving aircraft

File:CF15 Avro Anson ZK-RRA 040415 04.jpg
Anson ZK-RRA showcased during Classic Fighters 2015
File:Dragon Rapide & Avro Anson - Duxford Jubilee Airshow 2012 (7327298730).jpg
An Avro Anson flying alongside a de Havilland Dragon Rapide at the Duxford Jubilee Airshow 2012
File:Inside the AVRO XIX, the first Air Corps aircraft with a monoplane design and a retractable undercarriage. Sistership to the AVRO Anson serving from 1930s - 1970s (12119468396).jpg
Cockpit view of Avro C.19 141, exhibited at the Irish Air Corps Museum in 2014
File:Avro Anson - Duxford Jubilee Airshow 2012 (7313110592).jpg
A restored Avro Anson in flight, photographed in 2012

Australia

Displayed publicly
  • W2068 – Anson 1 VH-ASM. Exhibited in a glass-enclosed space at Tamworth Airport, Tamworth NSW. This aircraft was operated post-World War II by East West Airlines as their inaugural plane, followed by service with Marshall Airways.
  • W2121 – Anson I presented on static exhibit at the Aviation Heritage Museum located in Bull Creek, Western Australia.[17]
  • W2364 – Anson I on display at the Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre in Nhill, Victoria.[18][19]
  • AX350 – Anson I exhibited at the Lincoln Nitschke Aviation Collection in Greenock, South Australia.[20]
In storage or undergoing restoration

Canada

Exhibited
In storage or undergoing restoration

Ireland

Exhibited

Netherlands

Exhibited
  • VM352 – Anson 19 presented in a static exhibit at the Canadian Allied Forces Museum Foundation in Groningen.

New Zealand

File:Avro Anson, Shuttleworth Flying Day - June 2013.jpg
Avro 19 (Anson) preserved by the BAe Systems Heritage Flight at The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden, 2013
Operational
  • ZK-RRA (previously RAF/RAAF MH120), now painted to depict RAF Coastal Command K6183 – Anson I, remains airworthy with R&R Aviation Limited based in Wakefield, Tasman.
Exhibited
  • Composite – Anson I displayed statically at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Wigram, Canterbury. This aircraft is a combination of multiple airframes including the fuselage of NZ415, the center section, main wing, and tailplane from VL352, alongside various components from NZ410 and NZ422.

United Arab Emirates

Exhibited

United Kingdom

Operational
  • G-AHKX – Anson XIX maintained in flying condition by the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden Aerodrome, Bedfordshire. Initially operated by the collection on behalf of the BAe Systems Heritage Flight, this aircraft was officially donated to the collection in 2022.
  • WD413 – Anson C.21 currently privately owned and registered as G-VROE. This plane was formerly flown by the Classic Air Force at Coventry Airport.
Exhibited
In storage or restoration
  • AX246 – Anson I currently being restored by Jet Art Aviation near Leeds, Yorkshire.
  • TX235 – Anson C.19 under restoration with Classic Air Force close to Coventry, West Midlands.
  • VM325 – Anson C.19 undergoing restoration with the Carew Control Tower Group in Carew, Pembrokeshire.
  • VV901 – Anson T.21 being restored for static exhibition at the Yorkshire Air Museum situated in Elvington, North Yorkshire.

Specifications (GR Mk I)

3-view drawing of the Avro Anson I
3-view drawing of the Avro Anson I

Template:Aircraft specs

Notable planes

See also

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Notes

  1. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ↑ Aviation Safety Network, ASN Wikibase Occurrence #387920
  11. ↑ Air Force, Spring 1991, Summer 1991, Flypast May 1997, CAHS Journal Vol. 10, No. 4
  12. ↑ Air Force magazine, Winter, 1991
  13. ↑ Pereira, Aldo. Breve História da Aviação Comercial Brasileira (in Portuguese). Europa, (Rio de Janeiro),1987,p.290.
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ↑
  16. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ↑ https://www.visitvictoria.com/regions/Grampians/Things-to-do/History-and-heritage/Nhill-Aviation-Heritage-Centre and Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  20. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  21. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  22. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  23. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  24. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  26. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  27. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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Bibliography

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External links

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