Aero Commander

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Aero Commander was an aircraft manufacturer, a subsidiary of Rockwell International.

[edit] History

Aero was formed in Culver City in 1944 to design and manufacture a light twin-engined transport aircraft, the Aero Commander 500. In 1950 it became the Aero Design and Engineering Company of Oklahoma. It was purchased by Rockwell International in October 1960.

THe company later incorporated other aircraft types developed at smaller companies and marketed them as components of the Aero Commander line. It also developed a two-engined business jet, the 1121 Jet Commander, but sold the manufacturing rights to Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), who produced it as the Westwind.

[edit] List of Aircraft

Aero Commander 100 (1960) Single-engine four-seat high-wing piston-engine civil utility aircraft. Fixed tricycle undercarriage.

Aero Commander 200 (1950s) Single-engine four-seat low-wing piston-engine civil utility aircraft. Retractable tricycle undercarriage.

Ag Commander A-9 (1950s) Single-engine one-seat low-wing aerial application aircraft. Horizontally-opposed piston engine. Fixed tailwheel undercarriage.

Ag Commander S-2 Thrush (1956) Single-engine one-seat low-wing aerial application aircraft. Radial piston engine. Fixed tailwheen undercarriage.

Aero Commander 500 (1948) Two-engine high-wing piston-engine civil utility aircraft. Retractable tricycle undercarriage.

Aero Commander 1121 Jet Commander (1963) Twin jet engine midwing civil utility aircraft. Later produced by IAI as the Westwind.

Ag Commander was a brand name used by Aero Commander for their line of agricultural aircraft. Two unrelated aircraft were marketed under this name: the CallAir A-9, sold as the Ag Commander A-9 and B-9, and the Ayres Thrush (aka the Snow S-2), sold as the Ag Commander S-2. Both aircraft were originally the products of smaller manufacturers that Aero Commander had purchased. The Ag Commander brand was dropped in 1970 when Rockwell dissolved the Aero Commander division.

[edit] References

Aero Commander Article

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