The post-war years were a period of dynamic development of agricultural aviation. It could be said that in aviation, the peaceful idea of “beating swords into ploughshares” was put into practice, as flights for agriculture and forestry were carried out on surplus military aircraft, often piloted by former military pilots.
Twin-engine C-47s, A-26s, and even heavy, four-engine B-24s gained a new role – having abandoned their destructive task, they began helping with food production and forest protection. However, light aircraft were best suited for agricultural tasks, such as the liaison-observation Piper L-4 Cub or the training Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N3N-3 and Polikarpov Po-2. A key role in the development of agricultural aviation was played by advances in chemistry and the creation of new crop protection products and artificial fertilisers. Products were developed whose application from the air was both economical and effective. Just as agricultural machinery before them, new chemical products gained popularity as a method of increasing crop yields.
With the growing agricultural aviation services market, the aviation industry undertook the design and production of aircraft fully specialised for agricultural work. The characteristic angular and humpbacked silhouettes of 2nd generation agricultural aircraft appeared over the fields. Agricultural aviation services were used in ever more countries. Upon gaining independence, many African states, lacking their own aviation industry and specialists, began using the agricultural aviation services of foreign companies; services were also commissioned by the United Nations. The international agricultural aviation market was developing.
In the second half of the 1940s – in connection with the destruction of agriculture and infrastructure as a result of the war and the famine prevailing in many European countries, as well as the dire state of forests – a very rapid development of agricultural aviation followed. — Robert Rowiński*
