Mystery Crop-Duster! They are all so similar! Experts required please……….
 

Hi people,

though not technically "private flying"……….it is about single prop planes, and I guess quite a few of you are kind of experts on this subject.

My question:

Recently, I was witness of an accident site, but for the life of me I can´t work out which plane it is! The registration don´t give me the information in Google.
So I decided to become a "crop-dusting expert" overnight, however my success obviously depends on you!

These are the pics:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2020.58.04.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2020.58.43.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2020.13.51.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2020.59.05.jpg

These are all the clues I have for you………..
Now, to make it a little easier……….I will give you 3 options that I know are (obviously) NOT the correct answer, although all mentioned planes actually fly around where I fly:

Piper Pawnee:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Pipe...ee%20kopie.jpg

Cessna 188B:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Cess...8B%20kopie.jpg

Turbo kruk:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Turbo%20Kruk.jpg

Now, here is where my dilemma starts………..is it the "Air Tractor"???

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Air%...or%20kopie.jpg

Or the "Ayres Turbo Thrush" perhaps??
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Ayre...sh%20kopie.jpg

The landing gear is the biggest difference between the two, as far as I can tell; but as this poor bird is in a ditch, she doesn´t really show her legs, now does she?

I have a very good guess from a knowledgeable friend of mine………..but he isn´t even sure, I reckon. So, I count on you folks……..

Best regards,


###Ultra Long Hauler###

As far as I can tell its a Ayres Thrush, the lump on the right hand side of the hopper area in front of the cockpit gives it away.

I would say Air Tractor..........just an old one.
but saying that..... Palmar banana exporter :: fumipalma
???

Looks like a Turbo Thrush to me, fin and rudder are pretty much identical.

The Funipalma site says they have Cessnas, the photo of the Cessna has a little window in the cabin roof, and so does the plane in the ditch. None of the others do.

The cooling vents on the panel before the engine don't match any of the other photographs, also the grab handles on the hopper.

Apart, of course, from all of them.

It is most like the Thrush - that's where my money would go, some versions have the strut braced tail rather than wire braced as in your photo.

The answer
 

Still got my spotter skills.

Fumipalma HC-CFT Thrush S2R-T15 from the Equadorian DGAC.


Resultados de búsqueda:

Has anyone else spotted the irony in the reg?:O

CFT = Controlled Flight into Turnips?

No, I hadn´t actually!! Very perceptive!

Good one!! I didn´t quite find that page!!
That answers my question, however:
Could you be more specific please? I am have been staring at that Air Tractor for quite a while now…………I hardly see any difference at all!!

Hats off for those who chose Thrush…………so far, I still can´t tell the difference between the Thrush and the Tractor.

###Ultra Long Hauler###

The Thrush's fin is shorter, rather more squat.

Turbo Thrushes were built by several companies and I think others were converted to turbine from the P&W radials that powered the type originally.

Air Tractor was developed in the 1970s from his original S2 desgin by Leland Snow. Wikipedia...

Ultra Long Hauler

The difference is:

Thrush makes you itch and a Tractor pulls trailers

Sorry, couldn't resist it, it's been a long day ;)

But if it's a song, it flies.

Fair enough............I hadn´t noticed that!
Thanks!!!

I will check the difference when I´m in a banana area next!!

###Ultra Long Hauler###

I would say..... THRUSH
 

Check out:

1. ENGINE EXHAUSTS on the side.
2. AIR INTAKES backwards of/behind the engine exhausts.
3. and like Treadigraph said, the FIN.

:}

Can you confirm the pilot's OK? Looks like a sudden stop:eek:

Sir George Cayley

ps 'aven't a clue what it is.

Good points, thanks!!

Shaken, and a little stirred!!
Otherwise fine, I saw him from a distance………..all in 1 piece!!

###Ultra Long Hauler###

Yup, it's a Thrush as N707ZS so accurately describes. Leland Snow, who passed away recently, designed the Thrush and Air Tractor, hence their similar shapes. He went on to make Air Tractors after Rockwell bought him out and later insisted he move the entire factory to Albany.

People,

additional question:

The Cessna´s 188 have a compartment behind the pilot for paperwork and personal effects. The Thrush however, has a bulkhead behind the pilot with no storage space whatsoever……...

In the below photograph I shot today, I managed to draw (quite professionally!!!) a red arrow, can somebody tell me what is inside of that compartment please?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Thrush.jpg


Cheers,

###Ultra Long Hauler###

It's not a compartment. Behind the seat is a sheetmetal wall with tubing on the inner side.... There is baracks that house our 4 point harness... The barack for the shoulder harness runs through there.

In different airplane set up there will be our GPS usually in the baggage area but I have seen some behind the pilot area too...

Thanks PilotLevi88, I take it that was your very 1st post.
I appreciate it.

So in Thrushes that area is just where the "base" of your harness is fitted.
Interesting.

The piper Pawnee just seem to have have space there for personal effects, water bottles etc. Wonder if their harness is very different!

Cheers,

###Ultra Long Hauler###

Quick comment. The Thrush in your picture has bracing wires above and below the tailplane. The Air Tractor has just bracing struts below.

The accident aircraft has struts below.

Is it a Thrush with an airframe mod, perhaps....? :-)

Good find, Waldo!

However, checking the picture I took last week this Thrush seems to have struts too!!!??

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2014.16.45.jpg

What´s up with those wires below and above the tailplane?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Ayre...sh%20kopie.jpg

Anybody knows!!????

###Ultra long Hauler###

brace wire info
 

The bracing wires top and bottom were off the earlier model aircraft which had a fabric tailplane. The later model aircraft was metal covered and only had the V struts underneath the horizontal stabiliser.
As both the Thrush and Air Tractor were designed by the same guy you would expect them to look similar. One quick tell tale sign is to look at the vent set up or bulge on the top of the hopper. The Thrush has them on the right hand side halfway down the tank and is quite pronounced. The Air Tractor's "bump" is located centrally in front of the windscreen and is of a smaller nature.

Makes sense……thanks.

Somehow I never get the chance to see an Air Tractor from close by.
On paper they are here, but I always end up looking at Thrushes, anywhere I go.

Will try some other air strips soon……..will post pics if I catch the two side by side.

Cheers,

###Ultra Long Hauler###

RESURRECTION ALARM! More mysteries………..

I came across some unknown crop dusters that I consider to up load to 1 or 2 photo websites…………but I need a positive I.D first!
Googling the Registration# did not yield anything.

Here we go:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2010.42.29.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2010.42.48.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3820316/Scre...2010.43.06.jpg

Anybody? What are these two please?

Cheers,

###Ultra Long Hauler###

Anybody please?

###Ultra Long Hauler###

It looks like a Snow S-2C 600 Thrush Commander?

Ayres Thrush - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.avcom.co.za/phpBB3/downlo...p?id=61014&t=1

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1225730F.jpg

Good guess!
Especially the flying one, 6Y-JEV looks like a lot like it!
The landing gear is slightly different, but still……….I think I will submit the pics as such!

Cheers mate,


###Ultra Long Hauler###