Tuesday 7 April 2020

Avro Anson, part two, African users

The Avro Anson was a British twin-engined multi-role aircraft built by Avro. With more than 11.000 built, it was one of the most numerous aircraft made. It served with many Air Forces throughout its entire career. Among them, the following African ones:

  • Egypt: Egypt was one of the countries that ordered Ansons before the World War 2. The first one, an Mk.II, was sent in November 1936 with three Mk.Is being delivered in 1938 for use in the communications role. In 1939 they became part of the No.3 Communications Squadron. In January 1945 three additional ex-RAF machines were provided and an unspecified number were also given to Egypt shortly later, some of which are thought to have ended up in Iran. Eventually, two Anson squadrons were formed, No.3 and No.4 at REAF Almaza and REAF Helwan. 
  • Ethiopia: The Imperial Ethiopian Air Force bought two Avro Anson C.19 in January 1946. They were assigned to the communications and transport unit which was formed in Bishoftu Air Base. 
  • Southern Rhodesia: The Southern Rhodesian Air Force (SRAF) received numerous Ansons as part of the Commonwealth Air Training Programme. All of them served in the school role and served with No.24 Combined Air Observation School, which later would become No.24 Bombing Gunnery and Navigation and No.29 Elementary Navigation School, all of them based at RAF Moffat, in Gwelo.
    After the war, the SRAF was re-structured and they received many Anson T.Mk.20, a navigation trainer variant which was specifically designed for its use overseas. It served widely with the SRAF in the Nos. 4, 5, 3 and Rhodesian Air Training Group Communications Squadron.
    The No.4 Squadron SRAF, based at RAF Heany, in Bulawayo and was dedicated to the Flying Training School. It was equipped with Ansons, among other machines. It was formed in February 1947 and was disbanded in January 1954.
    The No.5 Squadron was based at RAF Thornhill, in Gwelo. It was also a Flying Training School which was also equipped with, among others, Avro Ansons T.Mk.20/21. It served for a brief period of time as it was created in April 1947 but in January 1948 it was disbanded to be renamed as the No.3 Air Navigation School, this time equipped exclusively with Ansons and served until September 1951 when it was disbanded.
    The Rhodesian Air Training Group's Communications Squadron was also equipped with, among other machines, Avro Ansons. It was based at RAF Kumalo, in Bulawayo too, and was created in September 1947. It was disbanded in March 1954.









Sources:
1. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 53 - Avro Anson
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Anson
3. https://www.valka.cz/Avro-Anson-t54872
4. http://zimfieldguide.com/harare/rhodesia-air-training-group-ratg-1940-–-1945-and-statistics-fatalities-commonwealth-war

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