VH-FCN  Rockwell 600 S-2D Snow Commander                 (c/n  600-1363D)

                            

                                Originally developed by Leland Snow as the Thrush in 1956, this agricultural machine was initially
                                produced by Fred Ayres, an American agricultural operator.  Snow later went into production and
                                built them himself as the Snow S-2.  In 1965 Snow sold out to the Aero Commander division of
                                Rockwell which continued production of the Thrush in Afton, Wyoming, alongside the Callair A-9,
                                a very similar, though unrelated machine.  By 1968 Rockwell began marketing both types as  "Ag
                                Commanders", although I have also seen the S-2 described as the "Thrush Commander".   Geoff
                                Goodall found the one above at Glenn Innes, NSW in July of 1967 when it was working for Dutton's
                                Aerial Sowing.     Most Snow Commanders, including this one, were painted yellow overall with black
                                trim, although by the time Ian McDonell took the shot below in the 1970s it had been repainted with
                                a white canopy and rear fuselage, along with a somewhat different livery.   VH-FCN  is still laboring
                                away as an ag machine, being currently registered to Agav Pty Ltd of Dalby, Qld.