What A/C is this?

[I_Heart_Seaplanes]

I saw a plane in a National Geographic show today that I have never seen before. Can't find anything like it using "the google", so I'm turning to you.

Basically looked like a Pilatus Porter, but with twin turbines mounted on mini-wings/pods at mid cabin height. Sort of like a clipped wing bi-plane. Was being used to meat bombing.

Any ideas?

Thanx

[Justjohn]

Poss a Do 28 Skyservant ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_128

[I_Heart_Seaplanes]

yea that looks like it. never seen anything like that before. thanx!

[Blakey]

Shell operated one on floats in the 1960s. It must have been some fun trying to get on board if you didn't have a nice dock to use.

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/DornierDO28.htm

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/887.htm

[High and Behind]

Shell operated one on floats in the 1960s. It must have been some fun trying to get on board if you didn't have a nice dock to use.

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/DornierDO28.htm

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/887.htm

Didn't Air Nootka operate that airplane for a while back in the 90's?
I'm guessing thats the plane as one picture looks like the middle arm of the Fraser River

[viccoastdog]

Shell operated one on floats in the 1960s. It must have been some fun trying to get on board if you didn't have a nice dock to use.

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/DornierDO28.htm

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/887.htm

Didn't Air Nootka operate that airplane for a while back in the 90's?
I'm guessing thats the plane as one picture looks like the middle arm of the Fraser River

That photo is certainly at AM9, and the caption says 1976. Wow, wonder what it was like to fly on floats?

[longjon]

I believe there were some large wall posters of this Skyservant in the Edmonton terminal or a local FBO.

[oldtimer]

I believe everyone are talking about 2 toally different airplanes. The first one is the later, enlarged version with a higher seating capacity. One manufacturers demonstrator crashed during an airshow in Calgary sometime in the 70's. The airplane on floats was the early version of the airplane with a seating capacity of 4 or 6, powered by 250HP Lycoming engines like the Aztec. It was a twin engined version of an even earlier single engine STOL airplane. The Government of Alberta operated the type for a while, as did Northward Avaition. Norhward operated theirs mostly on wheel skiis. If it is ugly, it is usually British. If it is weird, it usually is French. If it is ugly and weird, it is usually German. I think the latest reincarnation of the design is the Dornier DO. 228 which is or was operated by Alta Flights and I saw one in the background when Ice Pilot's . Adans went to work for Adladair in Yellowknife. My understanding is that the latest version of the Doorknob, although unpressurized, is a very good airplane for a niche market.

[Colonel Sanders]

If it is ugly, it is usually British. If it is weird, it usually is French. If it is ugly and weird, it is usually German

I have to ask - what if it is Italian?!

PS This is an awesome little utility aircraft: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-2

And I have to ask - what if it is Russian?!

A snippet of detail on the AN-2:

A note from the pilot's handbook reads: "If the engine quits in instrument conditions (blind flying when you can't see the ground) or at night, the pilot should pull the control column full aft (it won't stall) and keep the wings level. The leading-edge slats will snap out at about 40 mph, and when the airplane slows to a forward speed of about 25 mph, the airplane will sink at about a parachute descent rate until the aircraft hits the ground."

The An-2 indeed has no stall speed quoted in the operating handbook. Pilots of the An-2 say one can fly the aircraft in full control at 30 mph (as a contrast, a modern Cessna four-seater light aircraft has a stall speed of around 55 mph).

[HS-748 2A]

Here's a Dornier pic from Avcanada's gallery:

http://www.avcanada.ca/albums/displayim ... 10&pos=260

[Siddley Hawker]

Three of 'em were imported into Canada by Wheeler Airlines in the early 1960's, CF-WAL, WAM and WAN. Wheeler used them in the Arctic, mostly, based in Frobisher. WAL and WAM were in accidents, WAL while landing on the grass on floats at the Wheeler base in St. Jean d'Iberville. It nosed over. WAM was in an accident on a test flight, the ailerons were cross rigged, if memory serves. When Northern Wings bought the Wheeler bases in Havre St. Pierre and Sept-Iles in the late '60's - early '70's we inherited all three. Bill Gallichon rebuilt WAM in the Quebecair hangar in Montreal, using parts from both wrecks, and we operated the two of them for a couple of years, both on floats and wheel-skis. Both of them were sold out west somewhere, but eventually wound up in Israel. I never ever flew them but if Bob Grant is a member of AvCanada, he can tell you how they flew.

[oldtimer]

Colonel Sanders, not to highjack the origin of this thread but the comment on holding the pole fully aft and allow the airplane to sink until ground contact was something I remember also held true to the early version of the Cessna 172.
Could maybe save lives. Anybody ever heard of someone doing it sucessfully?
By the way, if the airplane had hair under the wing root, it would be Italian.