- Bennett Airtruck
The PL-11 Airtruck is a
New Zealand agricultural aircraft .A strikingly unusual aircraft, the PL-11 Airtruck was designed as a
de Havilland Tiger Moth replacement for the New Zealandaerial topdressing market byLuigi Pellarini in1960 for Waitomo Aircraft. The prototype was constructed using bits of war surplus ex-RNZAF North American Harvard s. It featured all aluminium structure, a high wing monoplane with a steel stub wing and V lift struts, steerable tricycle undercarriage, an extremely stubby pod fuselage, the cockpit (made from shortened Harvard glazing) being mounted directly over the radial engine, providing excellent forward view and very high drag, beneath it was room for asuperphosphate hopper or up to 5 people in a cabin. The strangeness was completed by twin booms each supporting unconnected tail units, (the idea being a truck could reverse between the tail units to load the hopper). Despite the outlandish appearance the Airtruck was perhaps surprisingly successful, if unable to compete with theFletcher Fu24 in its design market.A shortage of Harvard parts lead to the type being redesigned for all new construction, as the
Transavia Airtruk , which was mass produced inAustralia .External links
* [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=379 Airliners.net info page]
* [http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=civil&action=display&thread=4368 New Zealand forum discussion]
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