Auster V's at Leicester, 6-7 June

This past weekend, the Auster Club had its Annual General Meeting and fly-in. Despite the poor weather, we had a fairly good turn out of Austers - we had an Auster IV and V fly-in, with two civilianised V's in the hangar. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the IV but did of the V that flew in. Both the IV and V were in wartime camouflage markings. The V won the award for best aircraft, and had flown eight and a half hours from Denmark to be with us



Danish Auster V, built in 1943 but not commissioned until 1944 due to the lack of American Lycomign engines



Civilianised V



Civilianised V with post-war civilian rear glazing

What kind of performance do ya'll get with those? Are there typical post-war modifications? Also, are there any US members of the Auster club?

Ryan

The Auster V has a 135hp Lycoming, gives a top speed of about 130hp and a decent range - you can fit belly tanks as seen on those shown to help improve the range. Typical post war modifications usually include making the glazing at the back shorter and fitting a bench type forward facing seat for two instead of the single circular seat which can revolve 360 degrees.

British engines are often seen fitted to post-war Auster V's, someone I know has bought a V which is in accurate markings with the longer rear glazing etc but a British de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, so has had a Lycoming shipped in from the USA to make it accurate (as well as cheaper to run and cleaner!).

There is an Auster section in the USA, up in New York State, details are here

http://www.austerclub.org/club_stuff/contacts.htm

I don't know if he's the only Auster owner in the USA however, there's some photographs of his (post-war) Auster here http://www.flickr.com/photos/34678937@N04/