The legacy of the Anson was solidified by its sheer production numbers and quantity of variants the line evolved into. The Mk I represented the most quantitative Anson, with 6,688 examples seeing delivery. This version was powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah series engines of 350 (Cheetah IX) or 395 (Cheetah XIX) horsepower. Maximum speed for Cheetah IX-powered Ansons was reported to be around 188 miles-per-hour with a range topping off at 790 miles. Service ceiling figures put the Anson Mk I at a respectable 19,000 feet with a rate-of-climb nearing 750 feet-per-minute.
The Anson Mk II followed next and were built by Canadian factories to the tune of 1,822 examples. These Ansons were fitted with Jacobs L-6MB R-915 series radial piston engines of 330 horsepower. Britain took to producing these Ansons as well and designated them as Anson Mk III.
Anson MK IV's were produced in Britain and fitted Wright Whirlwind engines.
Canada also produced the Anson Mk V models. These were intended for navigator training and were fitted with 2 x Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior R-985 series engines of 450 horsepower. At least 1,069 examples of this model were produced. The Anson Mk VI was a "one-off" Canadian Anson fitting two Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior engines of 450 horsepower and intended for gunnery and bombardier training.
The Anson Mk X represented at least 104 Anson Mk I models converted to the new Mk X designation. Similarly, the Anson Mk 11 was formed from 90 Mk I models conversions. The Anson Mk 12 was well-formed in two-hundred twenty-one new-build production examples along with 20 conversions from Anson Mk I models.
The Anson Mk XIII was a proposed gunnery trainer that was never put into production. These would have been powered by twin Cheetah XI /XIX series engines. The Mk XIV was another gunner trainer proposal that never saw the light of day. These would have fitted the Cheetah XV series engines. The Mk XVI was to be a navigational trainer and the Mk XV would have been used as a bomber trainer - both of these designs were never put into production.
The Royal Air Force used 264 Ansons as transport and communications platforms under the C 19 designation. Navigational trainers were also fielded, these coming in 252 examples under the T 21 designation. Anson T 22s were 54 radio trainers for the Royal Air Force. RAF Ansons made up 26 squadrons at their peak of usage. Australia was a major Commonwealth operator, utilizing no fewer than 1,028 Ansons up until 1955.
The Avro XIX (also known as "Avro Nineteen") was a civilian passenger transport derivative of the Anson. Two production series made up this mark, totaling 56 examples.
Foreign deliveries of note became the sixty T 20 navigational and bomber trainers exported to Southern Rhodesia, the twelve communications and reconnaissance Anson 18s (spawned from the Avro XIX) delivered to Afghanistan and the thirteen pilot trainers Anson 18Cs delivered to India. The United States Army Air Force received 50 production Ansons built in Canada and re-designated them as the AT-20.
The Avro Anson was produced from 1935 to 1952, to which some total 11,020 examples were built. Avro handled production in Britain with 8,138 total examples being produced there while Canadian Federal Aircraft LTD provided for a further 2,882 examples locally-produced in Canada. RAF Ansons were retired as late as 1968, thirty-three years after the type's inception into service. No fewer than 27 nations across the world ended up fielding the Anson in some form or another.
The Avro Anson was named after British Admiral George Anson, 1st Baron Anson who served the Royal Navy from 1712 to 1762, taking part in conflicts such as the War of the Austrian Succession, the War of Jenkins' Ear and the Seven Years' War.
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