March 24 / Avro Anson first flight
First flight 24 March 1935
Avro Anson
Avro Anson—a plane that’s been around the block, seen some action, and earned itself a cozy spot in aviation history. Picture this: a sturdy, twin-engine beast buzzing through the skies, affectionately dubbed "Annie" by the folks who knew her best. This isn’t just a plane; it’s a story of grit, versatility, and a little British ingenuity that kept it flying for decades.
The journey starts way back with the Avro Aviation Company, a brainchild of Alliott Verdon Roe, who kicked things off in 1910. Roe was a bit of a legend in British aviation circles—a pioneer who wasn’t afraid to dream big and build bigger. By the 1930s, his company was churning out aircraft that would make history, and the Anson was about to steal the spotlight. The British Air Ministry had a wishlist: they wanted a new plane for general reconnaissance and light transport, something that could patrol coastlines, train navigators, and maybe even drop a bomb or two if push came to shove. Avro, with its knack for crafting reliable machines, stepped up to the plate.
The Anson didn’t just pop out of nowhere—it had roots in the Avro 652, a slick commercial airliner built for Imperial Airways. That plane was a twin-engine monoplane with a retractable undercarriage, pretty cutting-edge stuff for the time. Avro saw the potential, tweaked the design, and voilà—the military-ready Anson was born. The prototype, dubbed the Avro 652A, took its first flight on March 24, 1935, with Avro’s ace test pilot Roy Chadwick at the controls. Chadwick, by the way, would later dream up the Lancaster bomber, but that’s a story for another day. The Anson itself was a low-wing beauty with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage and wooden wings, powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX radial engines. Each engine kicked out 350 horsepower, pushing the Anson to a respectable top speed of 188 mph and a range of about 790 miles. Not too shabby for a 1930s workhorse!
What made the Anson special was its chameleon-like adaptability. It could switch hats faster than a quick-change artist—reconnaissance one day, light bombing the next, then ferrying supplies after that. It typically carried a crew of three: a pilot, a navigator who doubled as a bombardier, and a radio operator who also manned the guns. Speaking of guns, the Anson wasn’t exactly a heavyweight fighter—it sported a single .303-inch machine gun in the nose and another in a dorsal turret. Enough to fend off a pesky enemy fighter, but let’s just say it wasn’t looking to pick too many fights.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) liked what they saw and ordered 174 Ansons in 1935. The first production model, the Anson Mk I, rolled into service in March 1936 with No. 48 Squadron at RAF Manston in Kent. Right out of the gate, it was patrolling Britain’s coasts and helping train new pilots and navigators. As the 1930s wore on and war clouds gathered over Europe, the RAF beefed up its Anson fleet. By the time World War II kicked off in September 1939, there were over 700 Ansons buzzing around, ready to do their bit.
In the early war years, Ansons were the unsung heroes of maritime reconnaissance. They scoured the seas around Britain, hunting German U-boats and surface raiders. Armed with depth charges—and later, radar—these planes were a thorn in the side of the Kriegsmarine. But here’s the catch: with a top speed that wasn’t exactly blistering and armament that left it a bit exposed, the Anson wasn’t cut out for the rough-and-tumble of frontline combat forever. As newer, faster planes like the Lockheed Hudson and Bristol Beaufort came along, the Anson got nudged out of the spotlight. Did it sulk? Nope—it reinvented itself.
Enter the Anson’s true calling: training. This plane became the backbone of aircrew education during the war. Its stable handling and rock-solid reliability made it the perfect classroom in the sky for pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, and gunners. Thousands of airmen from Britain, Canada, Australia, and beyond cut their teeth on the Anson. One of its starring roles was in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), a massive effort based in Canada to churn out aircrew far from the Luftwaffe’s reach. Picture Ansons dotting the Canadian prairies, teaching navigation and bombing to eager recruits under wide-open skies.
When the war wrapped up, the Anson didn’t just fade away. Many were snapped up by civilians and repurposed for everything from aerial surveying to light transport. Some even got a fancy makeover, ditching the military gear for plush seats to carry up to 10 passengers as executive planes. The Anson also spread its wings globally. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) kept them busy with training and transport, while the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) leaned on them heavily during and after the war.
Canada even put its own spin on the Anson with the Mk V, built by Federal Aircraft Ltd. This variant swapped the steel fuselage for plywood and ran on Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior engines, giving it a boost for navigation training. Then there’s the Mk X, a post-war gem with a raised roof for extra headroom, perfect for communications and transport duties. Some of these later models hung around with the RAF until the late 1960s—talk about staying power!
The Anson evolved over the years, with later marks boasting beefier engines and better avionics, but the core design held strong. Production hummed along until 1952, and by the end, over 11,000 Ansons had rolled off the line. That’s a jaw-dropping number, making it one of Britain’s most-built aircraft ever. From its 1930s debut to its decades-long career, the Anson proved it could hang with the best of them.
Today, the Anson’s legacy lives on. Aviation buffs and historians adore it, and you can still spot a few in museums worldwide. Some have even been coaxed back into the air, their engines roaring for a new audience. The Avro Anson wasn’t the flashiest or the fastest, but it was a dependable, adaptable marvel that shaped generations of airmen and kept the skies busy for over 30 years. From coastal patrols to training runs to civilian adventures, Annie’s story is one heck of a ride—and a testament to what happens when good design meets a can-do spirit!
Avro Anson Facts
A 32-Year Career: The Avro Anson joined the Royal Air Force in 1936 and didn’t retire until 1968—an incredible three-decade run. It outlasted many of its peers by adapting to new roles long after its combat days were over.
Mass Production Marvel: Over 11,000 Ansons were built, with the Mk.I version alone totaling 6,688 units. That’s more than half the production, making it a cornerstone of Britain’s wartime aircraft fleet.
Jack of All Trades: Designed for coastal patrols, the Anson morphed into a do-everything plane—training crews, ferrying passengers, even serving as a VIP transport. Its adaptability kept it relevant through changing times.
Training the Bomber Boys: It was the unsung star of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, shaping thousands of pilots, navigators, and gunners for heavy hitters like the Avro Lancaster. Without the Anson, the Allies’ air war might have faltered.
Underdog Fighter: Just three days into World War II, an Anson launched the RAF’s first strike on a German U-boat. Even wilder? A trio of Ansons once took down two elite Messerschmitt Bf 109s in a dogfight—and came home unscathed.
From Battlefield to Boardroom: After the war, the Anson traded its military stripes for civilian wings as the Avro XIX. Executives and small airlines snapped it up, proving this old warbird could still soar in peacetime.
Worldwide Wings: Beyond Britain, the Anson flew for Canada, Australia, and even the U.S., where 50 Canadian-built models served as AT-20s. It wasn’t just a British icon—it was a global workhorse.
Wooden Wonder: Its low-slung wing, crafted from plywood and spruce, was a clever innovation. This single-piece design wasn’t just strong—it was a masterclass in making the most of wartime materials.
Canada’s Big Build: Canada didn’t just fly Ansons—it built 2,882 of them! Federal Aircraft Ltd. churned out unique versions, like the Mk.II with hydraulic gear, helping stretch Britain’s war effort across the Atlantic.
Last of a Kind: Today, only a handful of Ansons survive, with just three still taking to the skies at airshows (In 2024). These rare birds are living relics, keeping the Anson’s incredible story aloft for new generations.
