The new Auster on the block is the J1 Autocrat ZK-ASL c/n 2150.
Post world War Two the Auster Aircraft Ltd's Britannia Works at Thurston, Leicester, UK were poking out Auster V Series J1 aircraft in fine English fashion.
They poked out just over 400 of them.
One such was registered to Auster Aircraft as G-AIBP on 02-09-1946 before being listed to Peter Bennie of Northants and then to W S Shackleton Ltd of London from 08-01-1952.
Shackleton were export agents and this aircraft was cancelled on 06-05-1952 as sold abroad.
It was shipped down to Australia where it became VH-ASI on 18-01-1953.
Australian owners include W Maynard of Dalby; W MacClean of Dingo; L Alison of Creb Nagoorin and T Ford of Mulgildie – all in Queensland. By 1971 it was with J Owens at Lavington in NSW and then inland to the Alice Springs Gliding Club. By 1975 it was in Victoria with A Cole of Warrandyte then to M Hurley of Noble River before being withdrawn and cancelled in April of 1977.
VH-ASI at Point Cook in December 1975. Greg Banfield photo.
It returned to the register with L Hatfield of Orchard Victoria on 18-05-1992 and in May of 94 was with Mills, Rowe and Rode Aviation/Romills Aviation at Cheltenham.
Its last Australian owner was Ron Wright of Box Hill North from 26-04-1999. It VH marks were cancelled on 20-07-2015 and it became ZK-ASL2with Tolaga Bay Trust from 10-06-2016.
This Trust also has the Auster J5 ZK-AXJ.
Photo above taken at Gisborne. From TradeMe and Rogerzz.
It is nice to see that it still has the Gipsy Major engine and the small rudder - and has about 2200 flying hours.
It has been listed for sale on Trade Me as a Auster J1B.