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Post by Bruce on Mar 14, 2009 21:45:39 GMT 12
I noticed this photo in the book "Civil aviation In New Zealand" by David Rendel (Photo credited to A.C.L Photography)  The Caption says "Fletcher Cropspraying" (typical of the poor captions in the book, but at least this is accurate!) the location appears to be Hamilton. Of interest however is the fact that this aircraft has wheel fairings (spats)! This is very un - topdresser like - does anyone know what the story behind it is? anyone seen other bespatted Fletchers? |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 14, 2009 23:14:56 GMT 12
Interesting. I'll bet they didn't stay on too long.
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 15, 2009 6:55:11 GMT 12
In the '70s they were looking for other markets for the Fletcher,including the passenger/utility market.If you have one of the old Fletcher sales brochures theres a photo of the spatted Fletcher being used as an airliner by Samoa Aviation.I think it was only briefly,no doubt the noise was a problem for passengers.
As its fairly easy to whip out the seats and reinstall the hopper,its probably the above aircraft after its been converted back to a topdresser and awaiting sale and being used as the demo aircraft with the spats still attached.
I can also remember a TV news item where they were promoting the Fletcher as an air ambulance and had a scenario were Farmer Brown had had an accident and the ambulance arrives and carts him to the nearest topdressing strip,enter the Fletcher/air ambulance and Farmer brown is flown to the airport near the hospital.A bit crude by todays standards but better than a ride to hospital in the old bone shaker ambulances of the day.
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Post by Dave.K on Mar 15, 2009 9:30:52 GMT 12
They probably were quite like the early 172 spats that created more drag than the wheels in the breeze. The plastic front mudguard came off the 3 wheel bikes, and when flying beside a fletcher the front wheel rotated backwards, presumeably because of the air going between the guard and wheel. Fletchers used to be delivered without the safety wires on the mains, so if a sissor bolt broke the strut pulled out of the oleo at lift-off making a interesting landing, with the safety wires the wheel just skidded along at right angles.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2009 10:01:07 GMT 12
As a Fletcher devotee I'm very VERY keen to see more of the passenger/utility variants of the FU24, does anyone have shots of these machines? I imagine a bespatted Fletcher with a cabin could look very smart...imagine one today with a Walter...
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 17, 2009 16:45:13 GMT 12
Fletcher with spats carrying passengers.  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 17, 2009 17:28:04 GMT 12
Now that is a most interesting pic Pool Guy. Any idea of what/where/when?
Judging by the HS748 in the background, its got to be the 1970s.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 17:33:47 GMT 12
Love it! I tracked down a few pics and stories from old issues of Flight magazine online, including one inflight shot of N6507C with passenger cabin. That aircraft later became CCT with James Aviation.
One of the guys at work is adamant the King of Tonga or Samoa had a Cabin Fletcher..."Fletcher: By Royal Appointment"!
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 17, 2009 21:08:54 GMT 12
I think the Fletcher is ZK-DEM,the Aerospace demonstrator,its definitely a 400hp,you can see the cabin airscoop infront of the canopy,,it must be in the early '70s.Its obviously in Samoa as the Fletcher has a 5W- xxx rego.
Theres a lovely colour plate of DEM with spats in Cliff Taits book.I will scan it tomorrow,unless some else has the book and a scanner handy.
A few 400hps had the porthole cabin windows while topdressing,CKJ,springs to mind.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2009 21:11:09 GMT 12
The King of Tonga would never have fitted into a Fletcher, surely?
That must be the most ridiculous low budget airliner I've seen. No windows, bloody loud engine, no head room, probably stank inside - I'll bet people got airsick in those conditions all the time - and the photo suggests up to seven adults are about to cram into the thing! I guess First Class was sitting up front with the pilot?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 17, 2009 21:47:48 GMT 12
the Fletcher has a 5W- xxx rego. I don't see that - where? Fu-24 c/n 140 was initially ZK-CXW, then went to Oz in 1968 as VH-EPZ. It was converted to 400hp. by AeroSmith at Sydney; ground run Jul69 and became VH-EPI before being shipped back to NZ for conversion to carry pax 1971. It then went to Samoa as 5W-FAJ. After service in Samoa it returned to Oz as VH-CCH in 1984 for use by Tablelands Air Services, Mudgee. That's the only Samoan Fu-24 connection I can find, though as you state some demos may have been done there. So my pick would be that we are looking at 5W-FAJ No no Dave, it's not so bad. The guy on the right is the pilot, and the three young ladies on the left are the cabin crew. |
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 17, 2009 22:17:28 GMT 12
Trust me....its on the part of the tail I cut off when scanning...  CXW sounds good....can't be many Fletchers ever went to Samoa. |
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 17, 2009 22:30:41 GMT 12
Although Aussies seem to like portholes and big doors...  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2009 22:35:38 GMT 12
Actually it looks like the cabin of the Samoan Fletcher might have three windows on this side, including the door, but there are none down the back. Maybe that's where the luggage went.
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 17, 2009 22:42:31 GMT 12
I think that would put the c of g so far aft Dave the nosewheel would come off the ground and the Fletcher would sit on its tail.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2009 17:53:38 GMT 12
Yeah, apparently there've been incidents of that happening during 100hr inspections  haha! Although perhaps not at the time....when I do my rear interior 100hr inspections I ALWAYS ensure the tail stand is there! Hence the passenger cabin being where it is. Here's a scan of N6507C, later ZK-CCT, from FLIGHT magazine. This shows the "utility" version quite well.  |
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 19, 2009 21:10:56 GMT 12
From Cliff Taits excellent book DEM with spats.  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2009 17:09:01 GMT 12
Very nice! Rather dirty though  Really looks like an overgrown Cherokee! |
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 21, 2009 19:40:35 GMT 12
Yep a bit of family lineage there,especially as they came off the same drawing board.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2009 21:17:50 GMT 12
Next to Reginald Mitchell and Ed Heinemann, John Thorp has to be my most favouritest designer!
Ag work with a Cherokee? Damn, now that's TWO Cherokee kits I have to buy! How cool.
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haha! Although perhaps not at the time....when I do my rear interior 100hr inspections I ALWAYS ensure the tail stand is there! Hence the passenger cabin being where it is. Here's a scan of N6507C, later ZK-CCT, from FLIGHT magazine. This shows the "utility" version quite well.
Really looks like an overgrown Cherokee!