Auster Tugmaster

Auster 6A Tugmaster
Privately owned Auster Tugmaster active in 2012
Role	Glider Tug
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Auster
First flight	5 July 1960
Introduction	1960
Status	In active service (2014)
Primary user	Gliding clubs
Number built	59
Developed from	Auster AOP.6

The Auster 6A Tugmaster was a British high-wing monoplane glider tug converted from surplus former military Auster AOP.6s.

When the Auster AOP.9 was introduced into British Army service from 1959 Auster Aircraft bought all the surviving and now surplus Auster AOP.6 and T.7s. Most were converted as three-seater touring aircraft for civilian use as the Auster 6B, later Beagle A.61 Terrier, but a number of airframes were modified for glider towing as the Auster 6A Tugmaster.

The Auster Tugmaster is a high-wing braced monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear and powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. The Tugmasters had their engines modified to civilian standards as the Gipsy Major 10 and they were also fitted with larger tail surfaces. Because of the original radio fit had been removed the second passenger sat in a sideways-facing seat behind the pilot and not side-by-side although three aircraft were fitted with dual controls and side-by-side seating.

The first conversion, test registration G-25-9, flew on 5 July 1960 and was produced by Air Tows Ltd at Lasham and was fitted with an electrically-driven winch but the next was converted by Auster at Rearsby with a conventional Auster-designed towing hook. Other conversions were carried out by a number of organisations including one by British European Airways employees at London Heathrow Airport for their own gliding club. Some surplus Royal Canadian Air Force Auster AOP.6 aircraft were also converted in Canada for glider towing.

Examples of the Tugmaster were exported to Finland, Norway and Sweden. Several Tugmasters remain in service with UK gliding clubs (2014).

Data from

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Wikipedia