Transavia Corporation was formed in 1965, as a subsidiary of Transfield to produce agricultural aircraft.
The initial design of the Airtruck had been done in New Zealand by Luigi Pellarini in 1956 as the single Kingsford Smith PL-7 tanker aircraft.
The PL-12 had an unconventional but practical layout for its intended agricultural top-dressing role.
Slender booms carried the two separate tailplanes on top of the fin/rudder units.
Further refinements in design in 1981 brought the PL-12-300 "Skyfarmer" with strengthened upper fuselage and a larger cockpit with roll-over truss.