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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

An agricultural aircraft is an aircraft that has been built or converted for agricultural use – usually aerial application of pesticides or fertiliser, but also for hydroseeding.

Crop dusting with insecticides began in the 1920s in the United States. The first widely used agricultural aircraft were converted war-surplus biplanes, such as the De Havilland Tiger Moth and Stearman.

After more effective insecticides and fungicides were developed in the 1940s, and aerial topdressing was developed by government research in New Zealand, purpose-built agricultural fixed-wing aircraft became common.

In the US and Europe, agricultural aircraft are typically small, simple, and rugged. Most have spraying systems attached to the trailing edges of their wings, and pumps are usually driven by wind turbines.

In places where farms are larger, such as New Zealand, Australia, the former Warsaw pact nations and parts of the developing world, larger and more powerful aircraft have been used.

Aerial

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Aerial Sowing Experiments in Queensland

Brisbane: The managing director of the company which introduced air assisted agriculture in New South Wales is in Queensland hoping to do the same in this State.

He is Mr. L. Ross Anderson, of Air Agriculture Control Ltd., Sydney, which took over the pest control section of East-West Airlines 12 months ago.

Using Tiger Moths, the company has already done some work with linseed and barley near Toowoomba.

While he is in Queensland, Mr. Anderson intends to visit most parts of the State looking into the opportunities for plane assisted agriculture.

Description source:
Warwick Daily News, 22 February 1951

View the original image at Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID 16992

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Aerial Farming

In an article on “Aerial Farming” the “Quarterly Survey” of the Australia and New Zealand Bank Limited states that “Aircraft have become the instruments of one of those lesser-known revolutions assisting rural industry’s progress in recent years. They are making a special contribution to the present drive to expand primary production, particularly in New Zealand, but also to some extent in Australia.”

After describing the use of aircraft in spreading fertiliser, sowing seed for pasture and cropping, pest control, weed control and laying of baits, the “Survey” points out the “While small aircraft are suitable for small-scale operations where manoeuvrability around trees and hillsides is essential and small landing stripes and small paddocks are the rule, they are less suitable for large-scale work at some distance from the airstrips or from the source of materials.”

The article concludes that “The aircraft’s efficacy in saving valuable crops

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

With almost 1,100 aircraft built the DH-82A Tiger Moth represents the largest production run of any aircraft built in Australia. de Havilland’s Mascot factory produced the aircraft between 1940 and 1945 with General Motor’s Holden manufacturing the engine at their Fisherman’s Bend plant.

The Tiger Moth was the basic flying training aircraft of the RAAF during and after WWII and, as such, was involved in the world-wide Empire Air Training Scheme through which many thousands of young men had their first experience of flight in locations as diverse as Kenya, Canada, South Africa or Australia.

Post-war the aircraft went on to become the mainstay of many flying clubs and is now a highly prized veteran aircraft.

Description source:
Australian National Aviation Museum

View the original image at Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID 16996

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