Seems a waste to buy a turbine Dak and spend all that money and end up with the performance of ... a piston Dak.
Ok , it burns avtur not avgas but seems like an opportunity was missed to give the aircraft some decent performance gains.
With a finite mass, I suspect it's got more to do with the strength of the trusses/wing spar than a missed opportunity.
Just nice to see the old girl still going. Remember visiting one on Beef Island many years ago and looking in the cockpit at the throttles and rpm levers all shiny brass - with use. An aircraft with character.
The first generation that flew them are probably all grand dads or pushing up daisies - but the aircraft are still there - that says something (not sure what, but something . . .).