A close up photo of this PZL-Mielec M-15 Belphegor

The incredible ag-jet with its huge insecticide-containing struts.

Without a doubt one of the most...unique...aircraft I've ever seen is this jet-powered cropduster, also known as the Belphegor. Serial produced from 1976, but it didn't live up to expectations and only 175 out of an order for 3000 were built. Only used and in the USSR and arguably the world's only jet-powered agricultural aircraft, jet-powered biplane and the worlds slowest jet (counting serial-produced aircraft). The large 'pylons between both wings are the tanks in which the chemicals were housed. The airframe was damaged during transport and only repaired with the remains of Belphegor 1S006-01.

Over many years I have seen some strange aircraft, but few stranger than this one. This was designed as a jet-engined biplane and it was used for crop spraying. It is on outside display at the wonderful Polish Aviation Museum.

The M-15 was intended to replace the An-2 but the use of a jet engine for an agricultural aircraft was a bit ambitious. It does, at least, have the claim to fame of being the slowest, mass-produced jet aircraft. This example is on display at the Polish Aviation Museum.