Auster AOP.9

The Auster AOP.9 was designed as a successor to the Auster AOP.6. Like its predecessor, it was a braced high-wing single engined monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Although having the same general appearance, the AOP.9 was a new design, with larger wing area and a more powerful engine. The wing and tail were metal-skinned, but the fuselage and ailerons were fabric-covered. A combination of the more powerful 180 hp (134 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier engine, larger wings and large flaps gave it an improved take-off and landing performance compared with the AOP.6. It could operate from ploughed fields and muddy surfaces using low pressure tyres and strengthened undercarriage. The cabin held three seats, pilot and passenger side-by-side and the observer behind, facing either forwards or rearwards. ==Operational history==

Deliveries started to the Royal Air Force in February 1955, flying an average of 1,200 sorties per month. By the end of Operation Firedog in Malaya on 31 July 1960, 656 Squadron's AOP.6 and AOP.9s had carried out 143,000 sorties. The AOP.9s were involved in several of Britain's other end of Empire conflicts; 653 Squadron AAC used them in Aden in the early 1960s, flying from Falaise, Little Aden. They stayed in service until 1966 and were the last fixed wing AOP aircraft used by the AAC, in flying condition at Middle Wallop. In the 1970s, 19 AOP.9s joined the UK civil register, and in 2008 14 remained, though only about three of these had a current certificate of airworthiness. The sole Beagle E3/Auster AOP.11 G-ASCC was flying until an accident in 2007. ==Variants==

in 1956, this aircraft served No. 652 Squadron RAF ;Auster AOP.9 :Only production version, 182 built. Only one, a converted AOP.9 A year later it was registered to Beagle aircraft, that had taken over Auster in 1960, as G-ASCC where it was known as the Beagle Mk 11, the E.3 or as the A.115. It was sold into private hands in 1971. The 9M first flew on 4 January 1968, and gained a Certificate of Airworthiness on 30 April 1968 ==Operators==

Military operators ; • Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force about 4 ex-British AAC aircraft • various ACC AOP and Independent Flights stationed in Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s ;: 35 aircraft • Indian Air Force • Indian Army ;: • South African Air Force Two aircraft • No 42 Squadron SAAF ;: 146 aircraft • Army Air Corps • 652 Squadron (January 1956 – September 1957) • 656 Squadron (September 1955 – September 1957) • Light Liaison Flight, South Korea • Christmas Island Flight, 160 Wing • 1900 Flight at Hong Kong • No. 38 Group Communication Flight at Upavon • Light Aircraft School at Middle Wallop ==Specifications (AOP.9)==