Unknown aircraft

[Glenn E. Chatfield]

I discovered this aircraft this week, and I'm not sure if it's an Ayres or an Air Tractor. The gear looks Ayres, but every photo I come across of either company's aircraft doesn't have the vertical stabilizer/rudder like this one, with a vertical hinge; they all have a zig-zag hinge.

Further, the ID on the side is bogus - not on the FAA registry. The way the cowling looks in sections, it may have been a radial-engine replaced by the turbine.

I asked about it and was told it was brought in for maintenance last fall and has been left where it is, and there are questions about not only the ID on the side but even serials on the engine and fuselage not matching - which could also be due to an engine change.

[L-5jockey]

Glenn

Looks like a S2R-T34 Ayres Thrush (PT-6 turbine mod);
EXCEPT for the tail !!

Also interesting is the registry is "close" to N4005P which happens to
be a S2R.

John

[wswesch]

Glenn,

This is indeed an Ayres S2R-600. Originally built with a P&W R-1340, but now has a factory Ayres PT6 conversion. Probably a -34AG, but could be a -15AG.
The tail is the Weatherly tail, not a factory tail as you observed.

Where is it located, Grinnell?

Walt Wesch
Tucson AZ

[Glenn E. Chatfield]

Walt,
Yes it was in Grinnell. I've found a few cropdusters since way long time ago when I sent you shots of some. I tried sending more but they started bouncing back. SO if you like my shots, go ahead and download them from A-D

How did you know so much about this particular bird?

[Glenn E. Chatfield]

John,

Yes, I looked up N4005P and wondered about that myself, but I didn't want to ID the plane as this number because I wasn't really sure if it was that type, and one never knows if a company has more than one bird of a type with similar call signs. Since N4005P is a registry in question, and there are other questions about the ID of this plane, it wouldn't surprise me if this is the bird.

[wswesch]

Glenn,

I have been enjoying the ag photos you have been posting! Thanks.

Ag aircraft are my area of interest, and have been for 30+ years. Over the years I have learned a bit about mods and engine conversions, especially on Thrushes and Ag-Cats.

I strongly suspect that this is N4005P. Here is my only encounter with N4005P, at West Helena, Arkansas on June 22, 2001. Here it has the radial engine mount.

Best regards,

Walt

[Doug Robertson]

If you click on Walt's partial photo and drag left while holding, you can see the rest of his photo of the Ag bird "ghosted".

[Glenn E. Chatfield]

Wow, N4405P looks pretty sad. Do you really think this could be the same plane? It would have to have been rebuilt!

One of the guys I talked to said it may have just been a bogus number made up to be able to fly the plane. That is a possibility.

[Daniel Compton]

wswesch -

You familiar with IOMAX? Its a government contractor that has 4-5 Turbine Air Tractor 2 seaters that they keep at Orlando Executive Airport - they look to be doing some infrared training with them or something. I noticed a smaller single seat yellow Air tractor there lately they must have picked up. This one only has a 3 blade prop vs. the five blade prop of their turbine Air Tractors.

[davem]

Hi Folks,

I have checked my database out for both registrations and noted the following;

The registration N400SP has not been used at all from 1987 - which as far back as I can go through official copies of the FAA database.

The history of N4005P is as follows;