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TWIN-ENGINED TRAINER/ COMMUNICATIONS AIRCRAFT
HISTORY
Derived from Avro-652 airliner, the Anson claimed two firsts when it entered military service in March 1936 as it was not only the RAF's first monoplane design, but it also boasted a retractable undercarriage. The primary user of the Anson I pre-war was Coastal Command, whose squadrons employed the aircraft in the general reconnaissance and search & rescue roles until 1942. Soon after the outbreak of WW2, the Anson was chosen as a standard training aircraft for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, and it was in this instructional role that the Anson really excelled. Indeed, it was so successful that a second production line was set up in Canada in order to satisfy the demand for new aircrew. The Anson's fuselage shape was revised with the advent of the Mk XI/ XII, and its reliability and docile handling ensured that the design remained in production until May 1952 - a total of 11, 020 Ansons were built. Following the final retirement of the T21 from RAF service in June 1968, a small number of Ansons were briefly flown by civilian operators into the 1970s. It made its first flight on March 24th 1935.
Thirty-three examples equipped with two Armstrong-Siddeley engines of 350 hp, were used by the French Naval Aviation from 1946 to 1951. They were operated by the 50S, 52S and 56S squadrons.
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