Photos of Rare Birds
 

1). Ayres Turbo Thrush S2R-T65 Narc Eradication aircraft reportedly used in Belize, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Myanmar and Thailand.
2). AIDC T-CH-1 Taiwanese T-28 Trojan repowered with a Lycoming T53 Turboprop.
Other than Golden Dragon's 13Dec04 post of the T-CH-1, does anyone have photos of these rare birds?

Mike: Correct name for the country is Colombia, not Columbia, a common error.

Here you have a photo of two of the Turbo Thrush (date is Dec1992, La Aurora, Guatemala) and one of the OV-10 Broncos (Date is Dec1999, also at La Aurora, Guatemala). The legend on the nose of the bronco reads "B.O.H.I.C.A" (Bend Over Here I come Again) and has DOSAW titles.

The airplanes were based on the West side of the airport (photo) but they had been based for a while on the East side, and while there, they were attacked once or twice, with mortar fire.

Saludos,

Tulio

Mike,

I hadn't overlooked your PM: just hadn't had the chance to dig out the CD-ROM that had the Myanmar Thrush a/c shots on! I know these are awfully small, but they're the only shots of these that I have ever seen, either in print or on the 'net. I've attached three of them to this message anyway.

Along with Jurgen van Toor and Wim Sonneveld I co-wrote a 14 page article on DoSAW operations that appeared in issue 300 of 'Scramble' magazine, Mike. It's worth getting hold of a copy if you're interested in oddities like the T65 and Air Tractor AT-802, Mike, as it includes several excellent pictures, albeit in black and white.

Thanks for posting your two photos, Tulio: good to see a LAAHS regular over on this board too :) I don't suppose you have any identities for the Thrushes in that shot at all do you? A couple of the early examples that the DoSAW operated in the late 1980s/early 90s have "disappeared" so confirming any sightings would help to determine when this actually happened.

Best regards


Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

Some more shots, this time of a Policia Nacional Colombia marked T65 dating from Feb 2002.

Serial: PNC-3077 DoSAW Code: T-11 MSN: T65-007DC FAA Reg'n: N3101D

This particular a/c crashed at Bogota Airport on 15-Sep-95 but was subsequently repaired in the US and returned to service "down South".

Incidentally, there will be an update to our original article and an overview of all Policia Nacional Colombia aircraft (ie not just the DoSAW-operated examples) in an upcoming issue of 'Scramble', probably June or July's.

Best regards


Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

I wonder what is the actual difference between AT802 Air Tractor and T65 Turbo Thrush. So far I have notices that the T65s use three-blade props only, while the AT802 has five.

Brazilian operated EMB-201R Ipanema
AT802 Air Tractor Brazil Bombeiros Rio de Janeiro
AT802 Air Tractor Croatian Air Force
AT802 XT-MBB locust-sprayer operated by Burkina Faso Air Force
a civil Ayres S2R T34 Turbo Thrush for comparison

1) PNC-268 another Turbo Thrush operating with the Policia Nacional Colombia. This may not be a T65 example but possibly an earlier T41 or T34. The provenence/background of this particular machine is unknown to me: it could be an example bought and operated solely by the Colombians but it may possibly be one of the earliest DoS/DEA-operated examples.

2) Air Tractor AT-802 N8513Q from the DoSAW programme (see US and Colombian flags on the tail) which wears the Policia Nacional Colombia identity PNC-4003 when operating in its spraying role.


Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News