Piper PA-25-150
Pawnee N6168Z
(c/n
25-197)
Somewhat
ahead of Cessna (with its 188 AgWagon) in the agricultural field was
Piper with its
PA-25. This aircraft
actually comprised the first series production to be undertaken at the
new
Vero Beach,
Florida plant to which Piper had transferred (from Lock Haven, Pa) in
1957. Seen
here are
two early 1960 examples. N6168Z above, called in at Hawthorne
Municipal Airport
(L.A.) one
day in July 1961 while the cruddy looking example below was at Van Nuys
in
1965.
N6322Z is,
according to the FAA register, still current today in North
Dakota. If it is still crop
dusting that must be some sort of
record, although Australia still has a number of active Pawnees
still
employed as agricultural machines.
Piper PA-25
Pawnee
N6322Z
(c/n 25-428)