The Airedale was a four-seat, high-wing braced monoplane with a fixed, tricycle undercarriage, mainly of steel tube construction and fabric covered. It was originally designed as the Auster D.8 which was a modified tricycle version of the Auster D.6. Although similar in many respects, the Airedale was not based on the earlier Auster C.6 Atlantic design,[2] of which a single aircraft was built and flown in 1958 (registration G-APHT). The first three D.8 airframes were in construction when Beagle Aircraft bought the Rearsby-based Auster company in 1960. At this stage Beagle began introducing a series of major modifications to the D.8, which included moving the pilot's door aft and adding a second door on the right, widening the rear cabin, lengthening the rear fuselage and adding a swept fin, as well as many minor changes. Following the first flight of the 1st prototype G-ARKE, seven further development and pre-production aircraft were flown. As changes continued, these eight aircraft were repeatedly modified and rebuilt; these modifications continually added extra weight to the aircraft, and costs spiralled. Concerns about the weight, when it was suggested that "the increase in weight was resulting in a 2-seater aircraft", were ignored by the design team. A total of 43 Airedales were built. For more information on the design and development of the Airedale, click here.
