Ag Cat

The Grumman Ag Cat, introduced in 1957, is a purpose‑built agricultural aircraft that quickly became a staple of crop‑dusting operations worldwide. Developed by the Grummian Aircraft Engineering Corporation—later absorbed into the larger Grumman Aerospace portfolio—the Ag Cat was designed to replace aging biplane sprayers with a rugged, single‑engine monoplane that could operate from short, unimproved fields. Its airframe features a low‑wing configuration, a powerful radial or later turbine engine, and a spacious hopper capable of holding up to 1,600 pounds of chemicals. The aircraft’s robust steel tube fuselage, corrosion‑resistant fabric covering, and large, fixed‑gear landing gear give it exceptional durability and low maintenance costs. Over the decades the Ag Cat has been produced in several variants, including the A‑6 (Radial), A‑8 (Turbo‑Prop), and the modern A‑9 which offers improved fuel efficiency and payload capacity. More than 5,200 units have logged millions of flight hours, making the Ag Cat one of the most successful specialized agricultural planes ever built. Its reliability, simplicity, and adaptability have cemented its role in feeding the world’s growing population. Today, several aftermarket companies still support the type, ensuring the Ag Cat remains a viable workhorse for modern agribusiness.