Utilitarian to the max! Larger wheels would have made it even more utilitarian. Can you imagine a float/seaplane version? I can.
http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/...ioneer-2_1.jpg

"Route of the Orient Star": http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/...et/PI-C434.jpg

We have one of the twins operating in OZ still.

Twin_Pin_Page

The BHP mining company operated one, maybe two in Western Australia from 1961 until I don't know when.

Couple of others in museums.

Thank you megan for providing superb photos of the type.

Thanks guys, let's hope there is the will to get Primrose airborne again. She appeared at Biggin a few years ago along with ost of the Air Atlantique fleet. I remember seeing one or two of the Flight One fleet out and about in the 1970s.


I did wonder how the Farnborough Pin managed to damage its elevator! I've seen pics of a Porter standing on its tailwheel (also at Farnborough I think) but the elevator was well clear of the tarmac.

I remember watching the famous Twin Pioneer bicycle demonstration (where its very low takeoff and landing speed is illustrated by being overtaken by a bloke on a bike).

Fittingly, it was at Prestwick (though the highlight of the show was the Albatross doing a RATO):

http://www.linton-gin.com/pics/prestwick_67_in2.jpg

Don't forget JFA (John Fisher Airlines)....operated 2 from Portsmouth Airport for a short time around 1971-73. I recall one was painted bright red, not sure on the other ones colour. Replaced by a BN Trislander

That's one of the two in the photo in post #11.

Their other one was a sort of orangey/yellow.

Correct my mistake!!

I remember on the Twin Pin OCU at Odiham cars on the A30 would reach Basingstoke before us when outbound to the West on the NDB!

78 Sqdn had twin pins at Khormaksar,think they were fitted with "guided missiles",well air to ground fly by wire things!!

When I was on Wessex, we shared the OCU at Odiham with the Twin Pins. In the low-flying area there were a number of fields where the farmers were happy for us to land. I recall one day, whistling round a copse, planning to land in a "small" field, only to find it already occupied by a Twin Pin! Super little aeroplane.

It certainly was a great little aircraft. Had a most enjoyable first tour on them at RAF Sharjah 152 Squadron B flight.Did what it said in the brochure!

Evansb " Larger wheels would have made it even more utilitarian."

You beat me to it. I cannot believe the size of the wheels. ( Castors? )
A look on Twin pin images on google comes up with two photos of aircraft on their noses. No doubt there were others.
On any sort of rough or soft strip it must have been a nightmare.
Anyone know why the designers opted for such small wheels?

Yup. Pratt & Whitney's and bigger wheels would have made this aircraft a WORLD RENOWN bushplane. http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/...osford2013.jpg

But then you'd have to call it a Twin Otter.

evansb,
The Series 2 Twin Pin was produced with the P&W R1340 Wasp for certain markets.
That Philippine Airlines example pictured earlier would have been one of those.

The surviving 'BHP' one in Oz mentioned by megan would be VH-AIS (Australian Iron and Steel).
That's been sitting for years rotting at the side of an airstrip in Queensland due to ownership/ financial problems.
A real shame, considering it had had a real lot of money spent on it not long before that.
No doubt a suitable offer would secure it on an "as is, where is" basis.

Sweet! I love this forum. The information I gleen from this forum is priceless. Pprune is the best.

Clearly to cut down on parasite drag.;)

A few years ago I had a shop selling militaria which was a magnet for ex military types.

One day I had a very interesting chat with a chap who had delivered a Pioneer (single I think) to Singapore, by air. The flight consisted of 2 or 3 Pioneers and a Piston Provost or two which were heading for Pakistan. I don't remember the route in detail but range limitations and political considerations dictated a very circuitous route, which went South to North Africa, skirting the Sahara and crossing to the East Coast, then along the coast for a short sea hop over to Aden. Then up the coast to the Gulf, over to Pakistan where the Provosts were dropped off, and then across India and eventually down Malaya to Singapore. I have no idea how many flying hours were involved, but I seem to recall the whole flight took around 35 days, including rest stops, etc. Not much quicker than the ones which went by sea, I should think!

What an adventure, but I suspect probably something enjoyed more in retrospect than at the time!

I had a flight in a single Pioneer of 209 Squadron from Seletar to an up country strip in Malaya. To demonstrate the low speed capabilities of the aircraft the pilot put down both full flap and the leading edge flaps, which made the cabin interior quite dark! We followed the path of a main road at about 1,000' at around 30 knots, watching the cars below overtaking us. I think the stalling speed with everything down was 19 knots, but I stand to be corrected on that.

Stanwell, just for background, the BHP office at Whyalla was the holder of the aircrafts registration, and she operated from Derby out to Koolan Island (always referred to as Yampi within the company) iron ore mine.