The Taylorcraft Auster Mk1, used as an Air Observation Post from 1942 to 1946, seems like a practical little machine. Its intentions were simple, get into the air, find things on the ground and help artillery hit them with greater accuracy than might otherwise have been the case. It rather feels like the drones that are currently being used in Ukraine and Russia.
Around 100 of them were built and in 1944, the Royal Air Force trained members of the British Army to fly them. I’m not sure whether that was because they weren’t exotic enough for the RAF pilots or were just incredibly easy to fly. There are a fair few of the later versions of the aircraft still about, but it seems there are only a couple of the Mark 1 versions, this one and another at Historic Army Aircraft Flight charitable trust. I think I like understated things, so this was one of my favourite aircraft in the museum, as who needs huge firepower?