Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Single seat agricultural monoplane

Power Plant:

One 179 kw (240 hp) Continental O-470-M2 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

The Auser B-8 Agricola agricultural aircraft was designed by the chief designer of Auster Aircraft Ltd, R E Bird, in the 1950s following a tour he made of New Zealand to examine the requirements of agricultural operators. This involved an appraisal of contour flying to spread pelleted super-phosphate and seed over hill tops to restore grazing grass. Two designs were prepared, the first being the B-6, a high-wing aircraft fitted with a Blackburn Bombardier engine, but this gave way to the B-8 Agricola, similar but of low-wing configuration, it being decided the downwash from the wing would be able to better spread the chemicals.

The usual Auster welded steel structure was used in the design, with corrosion protection, and a hopper was fitted capable of carrying 635 kg (1,400 lb) in normal operations and 762 kg (1,680 lb) in overload conditions. When operating with dry fertiliser it had a capacity of 655 litres (144 Imp gal) of insecticide. Behind the hopper was a cabin, with portholes, to carry two persons if this should be required when proceeding between jobs with an empty hopper. Fuel of 109 litres (24 Imp gals) was housed in a tank in the port wing root.

The prototype G-ANYG (c/n 101) was first flown at Rearsby in Leicestershire as G-25-3 [Class B markings] on 8 December 1955, and it subsequently became ZK-BMI. It was shown at Ypenburg, Holland in June 1957. It never carried its British registration and at one stage was used in the type’s spinning trials. However, it was not delivered to New Zealand and was placed in storage in 1959.

On 2 August 1957 the first crop spraying variant was flown, this being c/n B107, which was allotted the registration ZK-BMO. In September of that year it became G-APFZ. Initial plans were to build fifteen aircraft but, following the cancellation of some orders, the programme did not proceed. Plans to develop the B-8A were abandoned. Engine installed was the 179 kw (240 hp) Continental O-470-M2 six-cylinder unit with jet cooling system driving a McCauley Met-L-Matic two-blade constant speed propeller of 2.19 m (7 ft 2 in) diameter.

ZK-BMK (c/n 103) was shown at the Farnborough Air Show in September 1956 and was later delivered to Air Contracts Ltd at Hood Aerodrome at Masterton. It crashed on 11 May 1957 at Waingawa river after a failed take-off from Hood Aerodrome. It was rebuilt from the wrecks of a couple of crashed aircraft and, as ZK-CCU, was first flown again on 11 June 1965.

One G-APFZ (c/n 107) saw some use in the United Kingdom with Aerial Agriculture Ltd at Lasham in Hamphire in mid 1959. Ownership was eventually changed to Auster Aircraft Ltd and it was used for demonstrating the process of dropping detergents on oil-slicks off Southend Pier on 29 August 1960. It was then sold to Air Contracts Ltd and became ZK-CCV in September 1962 at Masterton.

Production of fourteen aircraft was commenced, but only eight of those were completed, the remainder ZK-BMT to ZK-BMX (c/ns B111 to B115) being cancelled. One aircraft ZK-DEU (c/n AFOO1R) was built in New Zealand  from spare parts and was first flown on 1 March 1971.

Those completed were: ZK-BMI (c/n B101 – ex G-ANYG, G-25-3) had its Certificate of Airworthiness allotted in June 1956 and was dismantled at Rearsby in 1959. ZK-BMJ (c/n B102) was imported by the NZ agent, Bristol Aeroplane Co NZ Ltd of Wellington, for a demonstration tour. It was sold to Airlift (NZ) Ltd of Kilbirnie and registered to them in October 1956. This company folded and Associated Farmers Aerial Work Ltd was formed at Martinborough. The aircraft was hired to Air Contracts Ltd of Masterton in 1960 but was damaged in a crash on 8 May 1961. It was repaired but crashed on landing at Wairongomai, near Otaki, on 10 December 1976.

ZK-BML (c/n B104) was imported via the agents and went to Rangitikei Air Services Ltd of Taihape in April 1957. Fitted as a sprayer, it crashed at Taihape on 22 January 1959 and was destroyed by fire. ZK-BMM (c/n B105), crashed on 7 June 1962 at Martinborough. ZK-BMN (c/n B106) was imported by the agents and was stored at Blenheim for som etime until sold to Air Contracts Ltd in 1961. It later went to Associated Farmers and was registered with them in October 1963. It crashed north of Paraparaumu on 11 March 1965 when it ran out of fuel. It was rebuilt as ZK-BXO and flown again on 15 October 1966.

ZK-BMO (c/n B107) was actually built as G-APFZ with Aerial Agriculture Ltd of Lasham. It was withdrawn from use when the Certificate of Airworthiness expired on 22 April 1960 and was sold to Air Contracts Ltd of Masterton. It became ZK-CCV and operated from Masterton until it crashed at Pongaroa, was partially destroyed by fire, on 19 February 1963. ZK-BMP [ntu] (c/n B117), actually built as VP-GAZ, was sold in British Guiana but crashed on 27 June 1959. It was returned to the United Kingdom and placed in storage. C/ns B109 and B110 were allotted registrations ZK-BMQ and ZK-BMS but were stored incomplete.

Agricola operators included Air Contracts Ltd of Masterton, Airlift (NZ) Ltd, Associated Farmers Aerial Work Ltd, and Rangitikei Air Services Ltd of Taihape. At one stage the Australian Auster dealer, Kingsford Smith Air Services, claimed it had an order for an Australian operator but no aircraft was ever imported.

After years of faithful service to the New Zealand agricultural industry only one Agricola survives in an airworthy condition. ZK-BXO (c/n AIRP680) was operated by Associated Farmers Aerial Work at Martinborough and was powered by a 194 kw (260 hp) Continental IO-470-D engine. In March 2002 this aircraft was exported to the United Kingdom along with available spares.

During 1986 work commenced on the construction of an agricultural museum at Rotorua and a number of the agricultural operators supplied equipment for display. The major parts of an Agricola were obtained and an aircraft was to be completed for display but, following the demise of the owner of the museum in 1990, most of the remains of the Agricola were scrapped and no aircraft survived in New Zealand.

The prototype, although flown as G-25-3, and registered G-ANYG, never in fact carried the latter markings and was in June 1956 painted as ZK-BMI. This aircraft survived in a collection of Auster aircraft in Nottinghamshire, UK in a dismantled state, along with former New Zealand Agricola ZK-BXO which was registered as G-BCOA, and a collection of spare parts from the survivors. In later years New Zealand entity Hallett Griffin obtained G-BCOA and the aircraft was shipped to New Zealand, taking up residence with his other agricultural aircraft at Manawatu. After restoration it became ZK-BXO in late 2016 and commenced attending aviation events in New Zealand as the only airworthy Agricola.