Auster 6A Tugmaster
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Nottingham UK
Age: 84
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Auster 6A Tugmaster
A quote from the Blackbushe thread
"I think Frank Horridge (?), who was the chief engineer or similar with Dan Air Engineering at Lasham, was involved with what was to become Three Counties Flying Club. The story was that while in France he picked up a handful of ex-French Air Force SuperCubs that had been used in Algeria very cheaply, air-freighted them home courtesy of Dan Air and got them on the British register. These became the mainstay of the flying club/school and got Frank onto the Board of Management".
I seem to recall that Frank Horridge may also have been involved in the conversion of the Ex Army A.O.P Auster Mk 6 to provide a cheap Glider Tug. Around late 1959 or early 1960, I believe the Ministry of Defence were selling off the redundant A.O.P. Auster Mk 6 aircraft. and if my memory serves me correctly it was Frank Horridge or an associate who purchased one of these aircraft and with the aid of an ARB authorised Design Company converted the aircraft into a glider tug. It was the intention to buy more aircraft but, as they say "it is alledged", Austers got to hear about this and purchased all the remaining aircraft themselves and had them converted into the Auster 6A Tugmaster by a the Lasham Company Air Tows.
If anyone could substantiate this vaque memory or shoot it down in flames I would be most interested.
"I think Frank Horridge (?), who was the chief engineer or similar with Dan Air Engineering at Lasham, was involved with what was to become Three Counties Flying Club. The story was that while in France he picked up a handful of ex-French Air Force SuperCubs that had been used in Algeria very cheaply, air-freighted them home courtesy of Dan Air and got them on the British register. These became the mainstay of the flying club/school and got Frank onto the Board of Management".
I seem to recall that Frank Horridge may also have been involved in the conversion of the Ex Army A.O.P Auster Mk 6 to provide a cheap Glider Tug. Around late 1959 or early 1960, I believe the Ministry of Defence were selling off the redundant A.O.P. Auster Mk 6 aircraft. and if my memory serves me correctly it was Frank Horridge or an associate who purchased one of these aircraft and with the aid of an ARB authorised Design Company converted the aircraft into a glider tug. It was the intention to buy more aircraft but, as they say "it is alledged", Austers got to hear about this and purchased all the remaining aircraft themselves and had them converted into the Auster 6A Tugmaster by a the Lasham Company Air Tows.
If anyone could substantiate this vaque memory or shoot it down in flames I would be most interested.
