Bennett Airtruck
The Bennett PL -11 Airtruck is an agricultural aircraft manufacturer Bennett of the New Zealand aviation.
History and construction
The PL -11 is an unusual -looking plane, which was developed in 1960 by Luigi Pellarini to replace the de Havilland Tiger Moth previously used as an agricultural aircraft. For the prototype of a number of components of surplus North American Harvards of the RNZAF was used.
The aircraft is a high wing, lower wing roots, where the non- retractable main landing gear and V- struts are attached to support the wings. The single-seat cockpit abbreviated Harvard is located over the radial engine and thus offers an excellent forward visibility. Leaves space for the superphosphate container and a behind cabin for two escorts. The tail sits at the end of two tail booms, which are not connected, so in between the filling trucks can drive up to the filler opening. Despite the unusual design of the Airtruck was successful, but could not compete with the Fletcher FU -24.
The first Airtruck, ZK- BPV, first flew on August 2, 1960, but crashed during test flights in October 1963. After a reorganization of the company, the second plane flew in March 1965 under the new name Waitomo PL -11 Airtruck. It took into commercial service in February 1967, but crashed a few days later from. A lack of Harvard parts meant that the machine was no longer built. The basic design was further developed later in the Transavia PL -12 Airtruk.