Tutor 621 (Total: 69, Canadian: 7, Group 0)

Avro Tutor 621

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581425)
Avro 621 Tutor, RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario, 19 Sep 1939

The Avro Type 621 Tutor was a two-seat British radial-engined biplane from the interwar period. It was a simple but rugged basic trainer that was used by the Royal Air Force as well as many other air arms worldwide.

The Avro Model 621 was designed by Roy Chadwick as an Avro private venture metal replacement for the Avro 504. Conceived as a light initial pilot trainer, the biplane design featured heavily staggered equal-span, single-bay wings; the construction was based on steel tubing (with some wooden components in the wing ribs) with doped linen covering. A conventional, fixed divided main undercarriage with tailskid was used in all but the latest aircraft, which had a tailwheel.

The Model 621 was powered either by a 155 hp (116 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Mongoose or Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV (180 hp/130 kW) or IVC (240 hp/179 kW) engine; later Lynx-powered models had the engine enclosed in a Townend ring cowling. The Mongoose-powered version was called the 621 Trainer and the more numerous Lynx-engined aircraft the Tutor. The Tutor also differed by having a more rounded rudder.

The first flight of the prototype G-AAKT was in September 1929, piloted by Avro chief test pilot Captain Harry Albert "Sam" Brown.

The Royal Canadian Air Force operated six aircraft. Wikipedia

Wikipedia Wikipedia Avro Tutor 621

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube YouTube Avro 621 Tutor

Tutor 621 184,

s/n 184

m/d 621

c/n 506

184

Used for pilot training at Borden. To RCAF Station Ottawa on 26 November 1935. To Armstrong Siddeley for overhaul, 1 May 1936 to 16 August 1937, at a cost of $7,371.87. Had 583:05 logged time when it arrived. To RCAF Station Ottawa when completed. Transferred to RCAF Station Winnipeg on 24 August 1937, arrived there by 3 September 1937. Operated by No. 12 (AC) Squadron (No. 112 (AC) Sdn. (Aux.) from 15 November 1937), Winnipeg, Manitoba. Category B crash on 16 May 1938, 21 miles from Selkirk, Manitoba. To MacDonald Brothers in Winnipeg for crash repairs, 24 June to 12 July 1938, at a cost of $665.00. To RCAF Station Winnipeg when completed. To Training Command on 8 February 1940. Became Instructional Airframe A 93 on 11 September 1940, used at the Technical Training School at St. Thomas, Ontario. Scrapped at St. Thomas.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1931-August-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1940-September-11 Classified Instructional A 93 2020-06-09
   1943-June-23 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 482

Tutor 621 185,

s/n 185

m/d 621

c/n 510

185

Ordered 18 December 1930, from Ottawa Car. Cost new was $9,039.50 (airframe) plus $4,550.00 (engine). Used for pilot training at Borden. Had logged 105:05 flying time by May 1932. To RCAF Station Ottawa on 26 November 1935. To Armstrong Siddeley Motors for complete overhaul, 1 May 1936 to 16 August 1937, at a cost of $7,399.57. Had 502:44 logged time when it arrived. To RCAF Station Ottawa when completed. Operated by No. 11 (later No. 111) (AC) Squadron (Auxiliary), from RCAF Station Sea Island, BC, from 1 October 1937. Had logged 851:00 flying time by end of 1939. To Western Air Command on 1 April 1940. Later became Instructional airframe A 435. Free issue to the Youth Training School at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on 1 July 1940. Returned to No. 4 Training Command on 1 November 1944. Ownership to No. 10 Repair Depot on 6 November 1944 for scrapping. Scrapped at the Youth Training School, 13 to 17 November 1945, by a mobile party from No. 10 Repair Depot at Calgary.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1931-August-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Classified Instructional A 435 2020-06-10
   1945-September-17 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 487

Tutor 621 186,

s/n 186

m/d 621

c/n 508

186

Taken on strength at Camp Borden, Ontario, used for pilot training there. Category C damage at St. Catharines, Ontario airport on 31 May 1934. Overhauled at Camp Borden, with 319:23 logged time, completed on 21 July 1935. Remained at Camp Borden when completed. To storage at Borden on 22 April 1936. To Armstrong Siddeley in Canada for major overhaul on 27 September 1937, with 397:25 logged time. Completed on 27 July 1939, at a cost of $8,049.30, to RCAF Station Ottawa. Operated by No. 110 (AC) Squadron (Auxiliary), from De Lesseps Aerodrome, Weston, Ontario, from 1 August 1939. To Training Command on 8 January 1940, for use at Technical Training School at St. Thomas, Ontario. Became Instructional Airframe A 31 on 11 July 1940.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1931-August-10 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1940-July-11 Classified Instructional A 31 2020-06-09
   1943-October-12 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce at St. Thomas 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 481

Tutor 621 187,

s/n 187

m/d 621

c/n 509

187

First used for pilot training at Camp Borden. To Ottawa Car for reconditioning, 23 November 1931 to 2 May 1932, at a cost of $1,256.74. Had 62:40 logged time when it arrived. Back to Camp Borden when completed. Category C damage at Borden on 2 April 1935. To RCAF Station Ottawa on 26 November 1935. To Armstrong Siddeley in Canada for overhaul, 5 May 1936 to 23 September 1937, at a cost of $7,306.09. Had 524:08 logged time when it arrived. To No. 7 (GP) Squadron at RCAF Station Ottawa when completed. To No. 11 (AC) Squadron (Auxiliary), at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC (later No. 111 (CAC) Squadron) on 1 October 1937. Also assigned to Vancouver Aerodrome Flight on same date. Category D damage at Vancouver City Air Port at 13:45 on 4 December 1938. Still with No. 111 (CAC) Squadron iun sumer of 1939. To No. 1 Training Command on 21 February 1940, for use at No. 1 Technical Training School at St. Thomas, Ontario. Designated Instructional Airframe A 47 on 11 July 1940.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1931-August-28 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1940-July-11 Classified Instructional A 47 2020-06-09
   1943-June-23 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce at St. Thomas 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 481

Tutor 621 188,

s/n 188

m/d 621

c/n 511

188

First used for pilot training at Camp Borden. To Ottawa Car on 24 February 1932, unknown duration or reason. With the Test and Development Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario, dates not known. To Armstrong Siddeley in Canada for reconditioning, 3 May 1936 to 13 November 1937, at a cost of $7,227.67. Had 421:00 logged time when it arrived. To Rockcliffe when completed, acceptance test flown by Test & Development Flight on 15 September 1939. To No. 110 (AC) Squadron (Auxiliary), from De Lesseps Aerodrome, Weston, Ontario on 21 September 1939. Category B crash in Weston, at 13:40 on 11 December 1938. To Ottawa Car for crash repairs, 17 January 1939 to 16 September 1939, at a cost of $2,892.26. Had 495:50 logged time when it arrived. To RCAF Station Ottawa when completed. Became Instructional Airframe A 32 on 11 July 1940. Used at No. 1 Technical Training School at St. Thomas, Ontario.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1931-September-18 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1940-July-11 Classified Instructional A 32 2020-06-09
   1943-October-14 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce at St. Thomas 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 481

Tutor 621 189,

s/n 189

m/d 621

c/n 507

189

First used for pilot training at Camp Borden. To Armstrong Siddeley in Canada for "all mods", 7 May 1936 to 30 October 1937, at a cost of $7,551.27. Had 645:17 logged time when it arrived. To Rockcliffe for rigging when completed, then to No. 7 (GP) Squadron at RCAF Station Ottawa. Probably with No. 10 (AC) Squadron (Auxiliary) at Weston after this, but not confirmed. Took part in summer exercises at Camp Borden, Ontario, 1938. To Ottawa Car for further work, 13 December 1938 to 31 May 1939, at a cost of $2,961.28. Had 861:37 total time when it arrived. To RCAF Station Ottawa when completed. To No. 110 (AC) Squadron (Auxiliary), from De Lesseps Aerodrome, Weston, Ontario, also on 31 May 1939. To the Technical Training School at St. Thomas, Ontario on 9 January 1940. Became Instructional Airframe A 33 on 11 July 1940.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1931-July-20 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1940-July-11 Classified Instructional A 33 2020-06-09
   1943-October-12 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce at St. Thomas 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 481

Tutor 621 224,

s/n 224

m/d 621

c/n 463

224

Registration issued to Armstrong-Siddeley Motors Ltd. of Ottawa on 8 June 1930. Evaluated by RCAF in August 1930, had Mongoose engine at that time. Later received Lynx engine. Purchased by RCAF in 1937, became their serial number 224
Also reported as a Model 626. Registration CF-ANQ used for trials before delivery to RCAF. Operated by No. 12 (AC) Squadron (No. 112 (AC) Sqn. (Aux.) from 15 November 1937), Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1937 to 1940. Later became Instructional Airframe A 45.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1937-August-16 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1940-July-12 Classified Instructional A 45 2020-06-09
   1943-September-20 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 206 | 1968 481 | 1968 611