Aerial Cropspraying

Used to see the Ag-Cats & Pawnees spraying around the Lincoln area in the 70’s & 80’s. Saw them operating from Fiskerton a few times.

I’ve come across the name of an operator called Weedfree Ltd. I have no location, owners or aircraft operated .

I too flew in G-AVTK but am not sure who the pilot was on that one

It may well have been Peter Sullivan, short dark haired chap with a beard, he was also if IIRC a maths teacher at a local school

Would you care to share where and when you are doing the talk?

Moggy

you can contact me [email]pawnee1945@gmail.com[/email]

Hi WJ244
Our paths may have crossed as I too flew in G-AVTK but am not sure who the pilot was on that one (pm me if you need a good photo of it).
I had two top days back then-I had been to the Hanover air show the day before and flew in a very rare piston Porter (D-ELAV) that was doing pleasure flights and the very next day at Southend flew in WDS the Turbo Porter (seem to recall it was an air show or open day at Southend? I later worked there for BAF for a few years.

Think I posted this before but I think it was G-AWDS which had a white spot on the tyres. Ladi used to land on 33/15 and tower used to ask him over the radio how many times the wheels would go round before he managed to stop.
He did an impressive aerobatic dsplay in Blanik glider G-ASVS at obne of the Southend airshows. I never met him but those who did said he was one of aviation’s great characters. Would have loved to have been on that pleasure flight in the Turboporter. My first flight was in the pleasure flights Cherokee Six G-AVTK. I was about 14 and we were standing in the car park. They needed to fill the last seat and I was very surprised when my Mum and Dad succumbed to the sales pitch and sent me on my way.

Going off topic
But this has got to be the best “BUG SPRAYER ever.
And sort of strange that a unique ground attack aircraft is derived from a crop sprayer.

😎
And in use against terrorists ATM.

Think I posted this before but I think it was G-AWDS which had a white spot on the tyres. Ladi used to land on 33/15 and tower used to ask him over the radio how many times the wheels would go round before he managed to stop.
He did an impressive aerobatic dsplay in Blanik glider G-ASVS at obne of the Southend airshows. I never met him but those who did said he was one of aviation’s great characters. Would have loved to have been on that pleasure flight in the Turboporter. My first flight was in the pleasure flights Cherokee Six G-AVTK. I was about 14 and we were standing in the car park. They needed to fill the last seat and I was very surprised when my Mum and Dad succumbed to the sales pitch and sent me on my way.

I had a pleasure flight in G-AWDS Turbo Porter from Southend with him flying. We took off on the taxiway and were airborne in probably less than 100yards-magic.

Ladi Marmol was famous at Southend for his short take offs and landings in Pilatus Turboporters and the Bumble Bee which is now with the Science Museum at Wroughton.
,

I still recall him flying his Turboporter at Southend. Back in my days as an aircraft spotter 🙂

Someone who worked in ATC at Southend many years ago, was also telling me of a time they flew to Kidlington.
Apparently they called up Kidlington on the radio, who asked their position. Directly overhead was the reply.
He then proceeded to do a “falling leaf” to a landing. Followed by taxiing backwards to the apron.

Quite a character by all accounts.

Ladi Marmol was also a renowned member of the London Gliding Club at Dunstable during the 40s and 50s. He imported a Zlin Krajanek which he would fly inverted on aerotow, as well as soaring the ridge inverted…and thermalling inverted!! He also established a soaring duration record in 1947 of 33 hours, guided overnight by the headlights of cars parked on top of the Downs.

EWAN; Re ADS (Aerial) I worked for them for a couple of years early 1970s operating out of EGMC, there were some great characters associated with that company,Max Lacy,Don Judd,Ray Andrews, Ladi Marmol (the owner) had a Cemelak Bumble Bee, the Sudan operation was something else!! Happy Day’s

Ladi Marmol was famous at Southend for his short take offs and landings in Pilatus Turboporters and the Bumble Bee which is now with the Science Museum at Wroughton.
The occassional Sudanese registered Pawnees were popular with the local spotters and the mass arrivals of the incredibly noisy Thrush Commanders were pretty unforgetable,

… am doing talk/film show on my 25 yrs in aerial crop spraying

Would you care to share where and when you are doing the talk?

Moggy

pat miller still alive and kicking talking to him the other day.I was his opps man for 20yrs am doing talk/film show on my 25 yrs in aerial crop spraying
starting xmas 1959/60 at lincs aerial boston left in 1965 worked in hgv garage for approx 2yrs started with pat feb 1967 left in1986.

Talking of LASC pilots can anyone recognise this chap I am sure he was a pilot and Dad is no longer with us to tell me who it is….sorry about the quality of the pic … it was taken at Boston probably in 66 or 67 or maybe later but before 71 anyway as we moved to Cornwall then.[ATTACH=CONFIG]230688[/ATTACH]

Hi VX: The OP’s post states Boston, as it clearly is.

Lovely old photo. Is that taken at Wickenby, Lincolnshire?

My Father was an engineer at Lincs aerial back in the 60s and they flew out of anywhere they could find a reasonable landing/take off all over Lincolnshire Yorkshire Norfolk even went over to Northern Ireland. Dad also acted as field marker and loader , and he never suffered from illness such as asthma even though he regularly was covered in the chemicals I remember the smell of his clothes as a small child . Also the aircraft were in the early days fabric covered and were coated with coat after coat of cellulose dope which is now a substance considered to be highly dangerous. I attach a photo taken by him around 66 or 67 of the pawnees at Boston. The pilots were all really good ..They had to be as they never wanted to have to call out dad to a field in the middle of nowhere to retrieve a pranged aircraft…They were all really great guys too allways full of life !!! They used to “buzz” our house when they returned to the airfield in the evening to let dad know they were back !![ATTACH=CONFIG]230663[/ATTACH]

Re ADS (Aerial) I worked for them for a couple of years early 1970s operating out of EGMC, there were some great characters associated with that company,Max Lacy,Don Judd,Ray Andrews, Ladi Marmol

I saw Don Judd two days ago. On the strength of knowing Don and John Rika in 1978, Laddi offered me a loading job but I already had a job with British Rail.

http://www.underthewire.co.uk/