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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1160.PDF
\\ FAITHFUL ANNIE REJUVENATED Canadian Moulded Plywood Ansons Converted for Light Transport Work FLIGHT tl JULY 17TH, 1947 AT the time of writing, a feeder-liner conversion of aCanadian-built Anson Mk. V is expected to arrive• in this country for a series of European demonstra- tion flights. Yet another version of the evergreen "Faith- ful Annie" will therefore be seen over the British Isles. The Anson V is converted by the Aircraft Industries of Canada, for the Viking Air Service, which company selects the aircrait personally from available war surplus stocks. The Ansons are given a complete overhaul and are con- verted on a sub-contract basis. Hitherto, the European market for these aircraft has remained untouched, owing to the considerable ferry flight involved in effecting delivery of the machine. Only one Anson V has been sold to a European country as yet, and this machine, the first Anson of any mark to fly the Atlantic, was delivered in June, 1946, to Loftleider H/F, in Iceland. There are now signs that the Canadian and South American markets for these aircraft are drying up, and the Viking Air Service Company is hoping to obtain orders duriiig the European demonstra- tions' of this type. Payload and Performance Improved The Anson Mk. V is the Canadian-built development ot the earlier Avro Afison models. Designed in 1943, to Royal Canadian Air Force specifications, as a navigational and bombing trainer, it began to replace the Marks I and il early in 1944 in the British Commonwealth Air Training Schools. By the end of the war more than a thousand of these aircraft had been produced and, consequently, when they were offered for sale as war surplus, most of them had seen very little flying time"1 since new. The Anson V embodies numerous improvements over the Mk. I which make it considerably more attractive from the point ot view of the feeder line and charter flight operator. Most important among these are the greater payload which it is CONVERTED ANSON V Max speed (3,500ft) ... Cruising (58 per cent powe. ) Stalling (flaps down)... Normal range Long range Performance Data !94m.p.h. Service ceiling... Climb co 16.000ft One engine ceiling, Gross weight ... ISO m.p.h SOm.p.h 650 miles 1,100 miles Empty weight 20,500ft 25J min 5.100ft 9,45Olf 6,7501b A side view of the Anson Mk. V and the control cabin, showing part vf the instrument panel, the A.D.F. recorder and the radio panel overhead. capable of carrying and its higher cruising speed. The moulded plywood construction of the Anson V simplifies maintenance problems and, at the same time, gives the Anson considerably improved lines. In addition, a huge supply of spare parts is available in Canada, thus, one of the main difficulties besetting the present-day operator using war surplus aircraft would be absent in the case of the Anson V. The Anson V is powered by two 450 h.p. Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior R 985 AN-12B or 14B supercharged air-cooled radial engines driving Hamilton Standard hydraulic constant-speed airscrews. The fuselage structure is composed of five sections built of moulded veneer and bonded by synthetic resin glues. Mainplanes have a ply- wood covering, and front and rear mainspars, of laminated wood, continue from wing-tip to wing-tip, passing through the lower section of the fuselage. The trailing edge flaps and ailerons are of metal construction, the latter being covered by fabric, but the single fin and rudder are of moulded veneer, the fin being an integral part of the rear section of the fuselage. The tailplane, elevators, and rudder are all plywood covered and have trimming tabs which are adjustable from the pilot's cockpit. \ Hydraulic operation of the main wheels, which retracnH into the engine nacelles, is a feature of the Mk. V. The adoption of poweied retraction was welcomed by Anson crews who had previously taken turns at winding the handle! Each main wheel is mounted between two air compression struts and is held in position by twin radius rods attached to the rear spar. Hydraulically operated brakes are also fitted. Cockpit Layout A wheel type control column is employed, and dual controls are available if required. Engine controls arc mounted centrally so as to be available from either front seat. A standard blind-flying panel is installed and com plete radio equipment may be fitted. However, owing to the present shortage of all types of aircraft radio equipment m Canada, the manufacturers cannot specify any particular
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