The What is it? Game

[Airframes]

Not a Valiant, and as already stated it's British, not U.S.

I'll admit this one is a bit "sneaky", and perhaps not that well-known, so a couple of clues - British, four engines, not a jet. Military version in service until c1978, and civil version in service world wide until c 1991.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy?

 

[Airframes]

Well done, it is indeed the "Whistling Wheelbarrow" or, in military service more often referred to as "The Flying T*t", due to the radome on the (non-opening) nose, not present on the civilian cargo aircraft's opening nose cone.
The window shown is the compartment (rarely used) under the floor, where the Nav or Loadmaster could "spot" and direct the pilot for a "heavy drop" of equipment or vehicles, out of the opening "beaver tail", which was different from the civilian "swing out" tail cone.

 

[Simon Thomas]

I only stumbled on that by accident. I thought it might be the DH Heron, and on the Heron wiki page there was a photo with an Argosy in the background!

Try this. Post war. Civil, although it's bigger brother was used in a couple of Air Forces.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Australian designed and built.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Production versions were fitted with O-200, O-235 or O-320 engines.
The wooden prototype had the A-65.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Made by a Lawn Mower manufacturer.
I didn't think this one would take so long.

 

[mjfur]

Made by a Lawn Mower manufacturer.
I didn't think this one would take so long.

AESL Airtourer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

PAC CT/4 Airtrainer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mjfur]

Next,

 

[A4K]

Looks like a Beech Staggerwing with something addded (gun/ observer's position???)

 

[Geedee]

Before we solve mjfur's offering...quick recap on the game rules...
The idea is simple...show a small part of a plane and everyone tries to guess what its from. Once the 'plane is correclty identified, the full picture is posted and then the winner posts a cropped image from their pictures...and so on and so on. This is not the same as the Aircraft Identification thread where the complete 'plane is shown for ID'ing
Just looked at Simons pic and it's the AESL Airtourer...originally manufactured by VICTA
I don't have any pics at the moment so will let mjfur carry the load for a bit

 

[Simon Thomas]

'ere tis. I had to sell my share when I moved to Canada - I still miss it.

 

[SaparotRob]

Sweet.

 

[A4K]

Didn't recognise it from the pic, but now I get the 'bigger brother' bit!
Victa was bought out by AESL in New Zealand, who marketed Henry Millicer's design as the AESL Airtourer T6/24. They later developed it into the larger CT-4 Airtainer (the company name changing from AESL to NZAI, Aerospace and now PAC), still one of my favourite lightplanes.
We called the Airtrainer the 'Plastic Rat' in the RNZAF, while in Oz I think they called it the 'Plastic Parrot', presumably for it's original Dark Green and Yellow paint scheme (which later changed to Orange and White)

 

[Airframes]

Had my first flying lessons in an Airtourer.

 

[gumbyk]

Didn't recognise it from the pic, but now I get the 'bigger brother' bit!
Victa was bought out by AESL in New Zealand, who marketed Henry Millicer's design as the AESL Airtourer T6/24. They later developed it into the larger CT-4 Airtainer (the company name changing from AESL to NZAI, Aerospace and now PAC), still one of my favourite lightplanes.
We called the Airtrainer the 'Plastic Rat' in the RNZAF, while in Oz I think they called it the 'Plastic Parrot', presumably for it's original Dark Green and Yellow paint scheme (which later changed to Orange and White)

PAC's gone now.
NZ Skydive bought all the facilities and rights to the aircraft line.
They're just re-starting manufacture of the 75L, but that's about all they're manufacturing at the moment.

 

[A4K]

Cheers mate, didn't know that.

 

[gumbyk]

Cheers mate, didn't know that.

Neil and Dee only bought it earlier this year. They're still ramping production up, they've got 6 on the line for the rest of the year, aiming for 12 per year. They've also got a couple of upgrades planned, and have just delivered a couple of aircraft to the PNG military.
https://www.aerospace.co.nz/dmnews/two-750xl-aircraft-bound-for-papua-new-guinea-defence-force

 

[A4K]

Interesting aircraft, even has gull wing doors

Interested to know what aircraft Hamilton Airport has been producing for 70 years (mentioned at end of article). In 1950, it was still Rukuhia, and they were disposing of the Kittyhawks, Warhawks, Corsairs, Venturas and Avengers. That was destruction, not construction!

 

[Zippythehog]

The specs look like a good aerobatic/utility trainer. The power loading looks like it could be a lot of fun. Does it have a negative G oiling and fuel system?
The wheels look disproportionately small to the rest of the airplane.