August 2018August 2018 FLYPAST 29FLYPAST 29Developed from the Avro 652 commercial aircraft, the Anson was widely used across a range of roles within the RAF before being retired
from service in June 1968. Over 10,995 examples were built and utilised internationally.
The 652A prototype fl ew for the fi rst time from Woodford on January 7, 1935, and the type’s eventual name was derived from Admiral
George Anson – its original development was for a coastal reconnaissance role. The initial design was a wood and fabric fuselage
with wooden wings, designated the Anson I. There were 6,688 of the early type constructed between the Woodford works in Greater
Manchester and the Yeadon factory in Yorkshire. Powered by two Armstrong Siddeley IX radial engines, the aircraft was equipped with a
forward-fi ring machine gun and could carry two 100lb bombs.
The Mk.II, III and IV variants were produced in Canada and featured two Jacobs L-6MB engines. The Mk.V (a development of the
Canadian-built Mk.II) had round windows, replacing the square ones in earlier versions. The subsequent Anson X was a British-
constructed machine designed to fulfi l a transport role and featuring a reinforced cabin fl oor.
The shape of the aircraft was developed further with the Mk.XI, which was powered by two Cheetah IX radial engines (395hp [291kW]
on the Mk.XI, upgraded to 420hp on the Mk.XII), and had a raised cabin roof allowing more headroom. By this stage, hydraulically
operated undercarriage and fl aps had been adopted into the design – these had initially been installed in some of the earlier Canadian-
built models. The Series 2 variant (RAF C.19) introduced an all-metal wing. The next signifi cant incarnation was the T.21, used to teach
navigation, followed by the T.22 for radio training.
AVRO ANSON IN FOCUS
Developed from the Avro 652 commercial aircraft, the Anson was widely used across a range of roles within the RAF before being retired
AVRO ANSON IN FOCUS
Left
The aircraft fl ew
alongside the BBMF’s
Avro Lancaster at the
Shuttleworth Collection’s
Season Premiere airshow
on May 6. DARREN HARBAR