NAC Fieldmaster

Development and design

NDN Aircraft, which was set up in 1976 by Desmond Norman, one of the founders of Britten-Norman, the manufacturers of the Islander, to build the Firecracker trainer, designed a new agricultural aircraft. The resulting aircraft, the NDN-6 Fieldmaster was a large single-engined low-winged monoplane with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine, the first western-built agricultural aircraft to be designed for turboprop power. Novel features included an integral hopper made of Titanium to carry its chemical payload, which was dispersed via spray nozzles built into the flaps under the aircraft's wings.

The first prototype flew on 17 December 1981 at NDN's airfield at Sandown, Isle of Wight. TNDN moved the premises to Cardiff, Wales in 1985, renaming itself the Norman Aeroplane Company (NAC). Production finally started in 1987. It was intended that parts would be produced by UTVA in Pančevo, Yugoslavia (now in Serbia) to be assembled in Cardiff.

NAC went into receivership in 1988, after the production of six Fieldmasters, including the prototype. Brooklands Aerospace attempted to continue production, rebuilding one of the Fieldmasters with a more powerful engine as a specialised firefighting aircraft as the Firemaster 65, but these attempts were stopped by the outbreak of civil war in Yugoslavia.

A final attempt at production was made by the Turkish Aeronautical Association (Türk Hava Kurumu - THK) who started licensed production in 1997. This ended in 1999 after completion of two complete aircraft and a further two airframes lacking engines.

Variants

NDN-6 Fieldmaster

The initial designation for the prototype; one built.

NAC Fieldmaster

Designation of production aircraft after the formation opf the Norman Aeroplane Company (NAC); five built.

Brooklands Aerospace Firemaster 65

A rebuilt Fieldmaster with more powerful engine and firefighting equipment; one conversion.

THK Fieldmaster

Production in Tukey by Türk Hava Kurumu (THK); four built

Specifications (NAC 6)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89

General characteristics

Crew: one

Capacity: one passenger or 2,032 kg (4,480 lb) dry chemicals or 2,366 litres (625 US Gallons) liquid

Length: 11.02 m (36 ft 2 in)

Wingspan: 16.23 m (53 ft 3 in)

Height: 4.12 m (13 ft 6 in)

Wing area: 33.25 m² (358 ft²)

Airfoil: NACA 23012

Empty weight: 2,266 kg (4,995 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 4,535 kg (10,000 lb)

Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG turboprop, 559 kW (750 shp)

Performance

Never exceed speed: 318 km/h (172 knots, 198 mph)

Maximum speed: 265 km/h (143 knots, 165 mph) at sea level

Cruise speed: km/h (knots, mph)

Stall speed: 111 km/h (60 knots, 69 mph)

Range: 1,853 km (1,000 nm, 1,150 mi)

Service ceiling: 5,547 m (18,200 ft)

Rate of climb: 4.88 m/s (960 ft/min)

Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)

Power/mass: W/kg (hp/lb)