The Anson was derived from the Avro 652 - two of which were built to an Imperial Airways order of 1933 - and was among the first aircraft in Europe to reach high performance by adopting the twin-engined, cantilever low-wing formula with retractable landing gear. Avro designers, having had experience with Fokker aircraft and derivatives, used a similar steel tube fuselage construction and basically moved the wooden wings of the earlier types from a high to a low position.
The production prototype flown in December 1935 was a forerunner of 7,195 Avro-built Anson I for the RAF, RN, RAAF, SAAF, RGAF, Greece and Egypt. Production Ansons were first issued to No 48 Squadron, which put the RAF's first low-wing, retractable landing gear monoplane into service on 6 March 1936. Armament included two 45kg and eight 9kg bombs, a forward-firing Vickers gun and a Lewis gun in a turret amidships. Operational with Coastal Command between 1936 and 1939 and for air-sea rescue until 1942, the majority were delivered as turretless trainers for the Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada, Australia and South Africa.
The Anson 10, introduced in 1943, had strengthened floors for continental freight runs by Air Transport Auxiliary. After the war surplus Ansons were sold to civil charter firms and the air forces of Belgium, Holland, Iran, Israel, Norway, Portugal and Saudi Arabia. Increased headroom, introduced in 1944, created the Anson 11 or 12 according to engine. The latter, furnished as a feeder-liner eight-seater, became the Avro 19 Series 1 or Series 2 (tapered metal wing) for the RAF, BEA and civil operators in the UK and abroad. Final variants of 1948-49 were Anson 18 trainers for Afghanistan and India; Anson T.20 (perspex nose) for navigation training in Southern Rhodesia; T.21 (metal nose) for the RAF in the UK; and T.22 radio trainer.
There is an old Anson under restoration at Trenton, Ontario, Canada ...I've put a Youtube up under INDIEKLINE ...including an interview with members of the restoration team.
Air experience flight as an Air Cadet in an anson out of RAF Rufforth, flown by a Master Pilot ( Warrant Officer), the station commander flew a meteor, information please
my national service in 1953 and 1954 was at RAF el adem,near Tobruk,Libya as airframe mechanic and the only station plane was the Anson shown on the website of Royal air force El Adem
my grandfather TEALE flew Ansons in the late 1930s as an instructer near Oxford. i believe that the engine caught fire ,ordered aircrew to bail out but one crew did not so was force to land the aeroplane was told he hit the trainee unconcious? for this feat of flying was awarded the AFC which i understand hard to come by in the RAF in peacetime. would like to know if the incident true .
I grew up in andover in the 60's & 70's. I went to portway school ehich was right on the approach path for landing at RAF andover. It was a bout a mile away and I used to see ansons all the time. back in the late 60's there was also a 2 seat spitfire there. It was painted darb blue at the time and everyone refered to it as the " blue spitfire " . It was later painted yellow. The reg. was G-AIDN. Aprox 1969 the ansons were retired. I remember the last flight was 3 ansons in formation flying around the town. I remember them leaving on a sunny day. One by one they took off and went to thruxton just down the road. What happened to them from there I don't know. The anson was replaced by the devon. We also had 2 pembrokes. Andovers would sometimes come and do touch and go's. The field was to small for them to actually land at. I also saw "twin pins " many times Boy, those were the days !
An extremly strong build aircraft. I used to fly this bird in 1960 on aerial survey flights over the ADIZ and accross the Iron Curtain. On some occassions I was chased by MIG's which required a near vertical dive from 10'000 feet to get cover hugging the ground. Vne was something that could not be observed. A marvelous aircraft indeed.
My first flight as a ten-year-old was in an Anson operated by Derby Airways at an Open Day at Burnaston Airport, near Derby, in 1948. The price was ten shillings (50 new pence) for a ten minutes circluit over Derby.
My first flight as a ten-year-old was in an Anson operated by Derby Airways at an Open Day at Burnaston Airport, near Derby, in 1948. The price was ten shillings (50 new pence) for a ten minutes circluit over Derby.
My father, The late P.O. N.H. Webb actually bombed and hit a U boat from one of these aircraft. Was stationed at RAF St. Evel in Cornwall. The U boat was shaken up only! Ansons replaced with Beauforts in early 1940.
Flew for many hours in the Mk 1 as W /T instructor at Kinloss,went to Canada where I trained on the MK 2 Which was superior to the Mk 1,no more 150 turns to raise the undercarriage etc.for it had power undercarriage and flaps plus a two pitch prop.a delightful aircraft to fly.
I am doing a project on my father-in-law who trained as a pilot on the anson also was navigator pre pilot training any info on the anson would be a great help what if any does and donts
My first flight ever was an air experince flight in an Anson from R.A.F. Wittering in August 1961 when that station was a V Bomber base with Vickers Valiants. I was a member of 1155 ATC Squadron and 12 years of age, which was below the minimum eligible age to be in the corps, but I do not suppose anyone will receive a court martial now!
My first flight ever was an air experience flight in an Anson from R.A.F. Wittering in 1961 when that station was a V Bomber base with Vickers Valiants. I was a member of 1155 ATC squadron and only 12 years of age which was below the minimum age to be in the corps, but I don't suppose anyone will face a court martial now!
Many happy hours servicing and flying supernumery, 1951 to 1954 at HQ 25 group RAF Manby my favourits were VS 513 (T21) and VM 408 a VIP (19). East Lindsey CC, Resident on Manby (old camp), have an oil painting I did, of VS 513 (probably not on display though) Another oil of VM 408 overflying Manby c1953 may be offered to East Kirkby, at some time in the future. 1954 /5 Ansons T21 again RAF Shawbury training GCA at ?Slaep? memory vague.
I believe that the last RAF Ansons flew with the Western Communications Squadron (230 Sqn?)at RAF Andover in the early 70s. I remember many happy school holidays flying in them as an ATC cadet in the late 50s to such far-flung outposts ar RAF Kirkbride and St Athan.
