Author Topic: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration  (Read 12374 times)

Offline GTX_Admin

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Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« on: June 24, 2015, 06:09:44 AM »
A thread dedicated to your Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration

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Offline elmayerle

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2015, 07:49:55 AM »
Given the close relationship between a Cessna 185 and A188 crop-duster, perhaps an A199 on floats for forest fire fighting?

Offline Weaver

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2015, 09:22:10 AM »
How about a crop-dusting autogyro?

Some ex-military types got converted for crop-dusting: the Lysander springs to mind but there may be others. Storch? Hs-126? Swordfish?
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Offline Kerick

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2015, 09:34:58 AM »
I watched a Bell 47 type helicopter spraying a field in California. Small field next to the intersection of two highways. Quite an impressive flying display.

Offline Rickshaw

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2015, 10:53:36 AM »
How about a crop-dusting autogyro?

Some ex-military types got converted for crop-dusting: the Lysander springs to mind but there may be others. Storch? Hs-126? Swordfish?

Wirraway, T-6...

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2015, 01:31:55 PM »
UAV crop duster:



Of course such a system might become deadly when Skynet takes over...
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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2015, 01:51:06 PM »
Supposedly platforms such as the MiG-21 were developed to have spray tanks for biological warfare.  What about one converted for civilian crop dusting use...when you need that back field sprayed right fucking now!
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Offline Weaver

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2015, 07:08:18 PM »
Supposedly platforms such as the MiG-21 were developed to have spray tanks for biological warfare.  What about one converted for civilian crop dusting use...when you need that back field sprayed right fucking now!

A-10...... I mean, just 'cos it's got a big wingspan of course, no other reason......... >:D
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Offline Volkodav

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2015, 07:46:18 PM »
MQ-9?

Offline Weaver

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2015, 11:45:32 PM »
How about a Stuka? Say they were supplied to, or built under licence in, Spain like the Me-109s, then sold off into private hands.
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2015, 11:45:38 PM »
A-10...... I mean, just 'cos it's got a big wingspan of course, no other reason......... >:D

Replace the DU rounds in the GAU-8 with insecticide/fugicide/fertilizer. Not only do you get the fields "dusted" and fertilized you also get free tillage. Follow the first A-10 with a second that has seeds in the ammo instead of DU and you get instant sowing.

Offline upnorth

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #11 on: June 25, 2015, 01:00:40 AM »
How about a Stuka? Say they were supplied to, or built under licence in, Spain like the Me-109s, then sold off into private hands.

The crop dusting variant of the Stuka was built in Argentina by FMA from plans smuggled out of Germany by Junkers employees early in the Stuka's development stages.
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Offline jcf

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2015, 01:41:25 AM »


“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
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Offline upnorth

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #13 on: June 25, 2015, 03:31:09 AM »
I always kind of liked this image:


net photo

Spray for the locusts and bugs and keep the nose gun for rodents.
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Offline raafif

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #14 on: June 25, 2015, 04:40:21 AM »
Had the opportunity to buy one of those Wirraway crop-dusters but they were beyond repair even for static display due to corrosion :(


Can't beat the Transavia Airtruck or the Polish M-15.





Dornier-23s were used by the German Forestry during WW2.

The Mars just might be ok for dusting the larger US farm fields ?
« Last Edit: June 25, 2015, 04:44:15 AM by raafif »

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #15 on: June 25, 2015, 05:25:39 AM »
The Mars just might be ok for dusting the larger US farm fields ?

Or the entirety of some small countries.

Cheers,

Logan

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2015, 02:37:42 AM »
I always kind of liked this image:


net photo

Spray for the locusts and bugs and keep the nose gun for rodents.


Cool idea to do one up "Uncle Ivan's Crop Dusting and Rodent Removal Service" ;D
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Offline raafif

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #17 on: July 05, 2015, 11:56:19 AM »
just mix'n'match major components for a new duster ....

Offline elmayerle

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #18 on: July 06, 2015, 07:30:45 PM »
just mix'n'match major components for a new duster ....
Considering that Cessna's own A188 "Ag-Wagon" crop duster is a new fuselage attached to the wings and tail surfaces and, from the firewall forward, engine installation of the 185, something like this could be done strictly "in house" in Wichita; it likely would retain a "square tail" like the early model 310 and A188 have rather than going with the swept tail of later versions (better control authority, even if it doesn't look as attractive - you're looking for function, not looks, in this class of aircraft).

Offline Gingie

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #19 on: July 09, 2015, 10:14:29 AM »
I always kind of liked this image:


net photo

Spray for the locusts and bugs and keep the nose gun for rodents.


I was White Sands one summer and they had a Hind flying Opfor. I thought it was so cool when it 'attacked', I stood up to take photos...then it sprayed us as it flew right overhead to simulate a chemical attack...I believe it was onion soup.

Offline jcf

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #20 on: July 09, 2015, 10:48:32 AM »
All you needed was sour cream and Ruffles.  ;D

Was it a 'real' Hind or a mockup?
“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
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Offline Gingie

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #21 on: July 10, 2015, 07:46:40 AM »
Oh yeah, it was the real deal! This was in 1996, so ex-WP kit was still very much a novelty. I believe they flown out of Ft Bliss / Biggs Army Airfield, having been "liberated" during the 91 Gulf War.

Offline Modelnut53

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #22 on: July 11, 2015, 11:53:42 AM »
In New Zealand the RNZAF did some trials with Bristol Freighters that were later converted back to military standard.  Their role being taken over by DC-3's.
Sorry no pictures.

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #23 on: July 12, 2015, 03:14:10 AM »
In New Zealand the RNZAF did some trials with Bristol Freighters that were later converted back to military standard.  Their role being taken over by DC-3's.
Sorry no pictures.




Click on image for larger version (in pdf format)

VH-AAH with Aerial Agriculture, seen at Cootamundra NSW in 1958, having its 6 ton hopper loaded with superphosphate through the roof loading hatch:



BTW, an excellent website on Bristol Freighters in Australia is here
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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #24 on: July 12, 2015, 03:22:52 AM »
More from the Geoff Goodall website:

The transition of the two-seater Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-6 Wackett Trainer into the all-metal single seat agricultural Yeoman YA-1 Cropmaster 250 series:

CA-6 Wackett Trainer:



Yeoman YA-1 Cropmaster 250R:



Spot the common heritage:


Much more info at the website link above - well worth the visit.
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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #25 on: July 12, 2015, 03:26:19 AM »
From the same website:

The CA-28 Ceres:



More details & pics.
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Offline upnorth

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #26 on: August 14, 2015, 11:26:36 PM »
I just started wondering how an Airacobra or Kingcobra would play out as a cropduster.

Both were noted for very good performance down low and once you strip out the nose cannon and associated assemblies ahead of the cockpit, there'd be plent oyf room for a hopper I'd think.
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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #27 on: August 15, 2015, 03:48:56 AM »
Interesting idea
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Offline raafif

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #28 on: March 07, 2023, 05:18:30 AM »
If they won't give Ukraine F-16s etc, maybe Ag-aircraft?

Offline apophenia

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #29 on: March 07, 2023, 10:46:21 AM »
Ooo ... those torpedo carriers are great!  :smiley:
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Offline upnorth

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #30 on: March 07, 2023, 01:57:03 PM »
A "What if" from real life. The Z-37TM was a one-off prototype to test the Z-37T for suitability for military work.

The project wasn't successful, but the prototype is still with us:





KP Models even took care of giving us the opportunity to build one straight from the box (Not the most accurate of kits, but the only game in town for a Z-37T as far as I know):
https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/z-37tm-turbo-military/
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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #31 on: March 08, 2023, 02:21:32 AM »
If they won't give Ukraine F-16s etc, maybe Ag-aircraft?

I am sure they would like some L3Harris Sky Wardens but I also fear such aircraft would not last more than a few minutes on a modern battlefield.

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Offline raafif

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #32 on: March 08, 2023, 06:49:37 AM »
Old ain't bad ...

Offline ChernayaAkula

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #33 on: March 09, 2023, 09:51:54 AM »
A "What if" from real life. The Z-37TM was a one-off prototype to test the Z-37T for suitability for military work.

<...>

This, but on floats!  8)

Have heard some not so pleasing things about the KP Z-37s, but much good about Eduard's effort. So may get both and nick the engine section and winglets from the KP kit and put them on an Eduard Bumblebee.

I am sure they would like some L3Harris Sky Wardens but I also fear such aircraft would not last more than a few minutes on a modern battlefield.



Yeah, its survivability in this particular environment doesn't seem great. About the only combat use I could see is hunting Shahed-136 flying bombs. With the Shahed's very low cruising speed (you could probably intercept them with a Mi-24), a prop aircraft may actually have an edge over a jet. Then fling APKWS at them from a safe distance.
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Offline upnorth

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #34 on: March 10, 2023, 04:53:06 AM »
A "What if" from real life. The Z-37TM was a one-off prototype to test the Z-37T for suitability for military work.

<...>

This, but on floats!  8)

Have heard some not so pleasing things about the KP Z-37s, but much good about Eduard's effort. So may get both and nick the engine section and winglets from the KP kit and put them on an Eduard Bumblebee.


Yes, the KP kits aren't grand. They had the feel of having been rushed onto the market (to beat Eduard's kit presumably). The most obvious oversight was that they didn't mold the  cockpit canopy to capture the prominent buldged side windows of the real thing. They also cut corners in other ways, but the visibility of it depends on the kit and the version it represents.

I'm not sure I'd trust KP kits to be accurate in scale either, their recent 1/72 Cessna 180 kit has come in for a fair amount of criticism for being underscale.

If you wanted to turn Eduard's Z-37 into a Z-37T (hoping it and the KP kit match up in scale and proportions) you'll definitely need the turbo nose and winglets. You'll also need the tail fin as the Z-37T has a very prominent extension of the fin leading edge.

There is also some sort of fairing on the top of the Z-37T cockpit canopy that is absent on other variants.

I have read in some places that the Z-37T has a longer wingspan than the Z-37A, but I can't find anything that says if that's just down to the winglets or if there's more to it.

I'm also told that the rear fuselage got some sort of extension when the Z-37T was designed, but I can't find any information to confirm that.

As for floats, I don't know if you've seen this page, but there are a few images of a Z-37A on floats that may inspire you:
https://www.letadlanaplatne.cz/en/film-planes/civilian-aircraft/agricultural-machinery/zlin-z-37-bumblebee/

« Last Edit: March 10, 2023, 04:56:34 AM by upnorth »
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Offline jcf

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #35 on: March 13, 2023, 01:29:20 PM »
Lockheed from a NASA report.

“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
actually is than they ever are about
whatever’s supposed to be behind the
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Offline ChernayaAkula

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #36 on: March 13, 2023, 10:59:22 PM »
I'm sure they had a reason for designing them this way.

<...> As for floats, I don't know if you've seen this page, but there are a few images of a Z-37A on floats that may inspire you:
https://www.letadlanaplatne.cz/en/film-planes/civilian-aircraft/agricultural-machinery/zlin-z-37-bumblebee/

Ooh, those are lovely!  :-*
Thanks for the heads-up re the fin.
Cheers,
Moritz

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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #37 on: March 14, 2023, 02:25:02 AM »
Lockheed from a NASA report.

Lockheed to WSK PZL-Mielec after seeing their PZL M-15 Belphegor:  "Hold my beer..."

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Offline raafif

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Re: Crop duster aircraft ideas and inspiration
« Reply #38 on: March 14, 2023, 08:07:24 AM »
There is also some sort of fairing on the top of the Z-37T cockpit canopy that is absent on other variants.

I have read in some places that the Z-37T has a longer wingspan than the Z-37A, but I can't find anything that says if that's just down to the winglets or if there's more to it.

I'm also told that the rear fuselage got some sort of extension when the Z-37T was designed, but I can't find any information to confirm that.

Looks like that fairing over the cockpit is an air vent to cool the pilot.
Plans show that the fuselage is longer.
Basic Let-37 is 8.55m long - Let-37T is 10.46m long.
Wings are12.22m & 13.63m so maybe just the wing-lets add span.