Avro Anson Mk.I

When it entered service with No.84 Squadron at RAF Manston in March1936, the Avro Anson became the first monoplane type to achieve squadronservice status and was also the first RAF aircraft to feature a retractableundercarriage.The RAF Anson Mk.I was equipped with a fixed forward firing .303 machinegun operated by the pilot and a single Lewis gun mounted in the manuallytraversed dorsal turret. It could also be equipped with a modest bomb load,something which was required by submarine hunting aircraft operated byCoastal Command.Despite the fact that the RAF entered the Second World War with 26squadrons equipped with Avro Ansons, they were basically obsolete as afighting machine and were quickly withdrawn to secondary training roles, atask for which the ���Faithfull Annie��� was particularly well suited. As part of theEmpire Air Training Scheme, many thousands of aircrew destined for servicewith Bomber Command were trained both in the UK and overseas.Hellenic Air ForceN61, 13th Squadron Naval Cooperation, Hellenic Air Force. (Aircraft escapedto Egypt and subsequently served with the 13th Light Bomber Squadron).