| Airtruck | |
|---|---|
| The Airtruck prototype | |
| Role | Agricultural aircraft |
| National origin | New Zealand |
| Manufacturer | Bennett Aviation/Waitamo Aircraft |
| Designer | Luigi Pellarini |
| First flight | 2 August 1960 |
| Variants | Transavia PL-12 Airtruk |
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 Zealand aerial topdressing market by Luigi Pellarini in 1960 for Waitomo Aircraft. The prototype was constructed using bits of war surplus ex-RNZAF North American Harvards. 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 a superphosphate 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 the Fletcher Fu24 in its design market.
The first Bennett Airtruck, ZK-BPV, took to the air in 2 August 1960,[1] and crashed during trials in October 1963. Following company reorganization the second example, known as the Waitomo PL-11 Airtruck and registered ZK-CKE, flew in March 1965. It commenced commercial operations late in February 1967 but crashed a few days later. An unconfirmed report indicates that a third airframe was largely constructed but never flew.
A shortage of Harvard parts lead to the type being redesigned for all new construction by the Transavia Corporation, as the Transavia PL-12 Airtruk, 118 of which were produced in Australia between 1965 and 1985.
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66[1]
General characteristics
Performance