AgCat aka FireCat

In my previous post, I referred you to the web page of NJFFS Division A, Section2 that has several different pages of photos including a page of air operations photographs. I ask you to go back to the air operations page by clicking the link at the top of the home page. While you are looking at the photographs of the fixed and rotor winged aircraft, check out the four pictures of the FireCat, aka AgCat. Pay attention to the two photographs labeled "FireCat at Strawberry Field." You will see that what is known as the N number (on the tail) is N6620Q. The AgCat is a biplane manufactured by Grumman and Schweizer from the late 1950s through the late 1990s. The AgCats were built for crop dusting.

You may go here to see a video of an AgCat in action. I believe that this is NJ Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) contracted AgCat making a water drop.

Those of you have have read the previous entry of this blog may recall that the NJFFS contracts with Downstown Aero, located near Vineland NJ, for AgCats during the March through May fire season. In addition, Downstown makes AgCats available to the NJFFS later in the summer as needed.

Anyone can go to the FAA registry website and obtain some basic information on a particular aircraft (fixed-wing or rotor) by searching on the N number. If you want more information on the aircraft, you have to pay for it, which I did not do. According to the freely available information the AgCat N6620Q, a model G-164A with a Pratt and Witney model R-1340 engine, was manufactured in 1976.

I'd like to thank T Janney, aviation historian, for his help in showing me the FAA registry website, for helping sort out two engines commonly used in the AgCats, and for obtaining the design specifications for the AgCat model G-164A biplane. What is known as the airframe of the G-164A's was originally designed around R-985 450 HP Pratt and Witney engine. In some cases, as seems to be the case with the N6620Q, a Pratt and Witney model R-1340 engine was installed. There are 15 variants of R-1340 engines ranging from 425 HP to 600 HP. A variant known as the R-1340B (450 HP) is commonly installed on the model G-164A. The original design specifications of the G-164A are:

450 HP engine
speed: 128 knots
service ceiling: 13,000 ft.
empty weight: 2,690 lbs
max. take off weight: 4,497 lbs
wing span: 35.9 ft
wing area: 393 sq. ft.
length: 23.3 ft
height: 10.7 ft
tank capacity: 300 gal mixed with 1/2 gallon of firetrol foam additive
tank type: standard Gruman style dump gate / salvo time: 2.5