To fulfill its role in developing the vast interior of the nation the Empresa de Transporte Aéreo del Perú relied initially upon the Empresa Nacional de Aviación C-19 Pardusco, a single-engine light transport developed in the late 1930s but well adapted to Peruvian conditions. This aircraft however was limited in both its load capacity and in its single-engine configuration. To overcome these limitations the ENA began in early 1946 the design and development of a twin-engine aircraft to specifically meet the needs of AeroPeru for a successor to the C-19.
Late that year proposals were approved by the Ministerio de la Produccion and construction of a prototype authorized; it was rolled out in September 1947 and flight tests confirmed the design’s suitability for Peruvian conditions – rugged, simple to maintain, and exhibiting the ability to operate from short unimproved airstrips. It was fitted with a large cargo door on the port side of the aircraft, and the floor of the aircraft was fitted with numerous tie-down points, as it was intended to act as a freighter only.
An order for an initial quantity of ten aircraft was placed early in 1948.
Crew: 3, plus up to 2,200 kg freight
Engine: Two Pratt & Whitney Hornet 9-cylinder radial engines rated at 875 hp (takeoff)
Wingspan: 19.71 meters
Length: 15.57 meters
Empty weight: 3,524 kg
Gross weight: 6,105 kg
Maximum speed: 320 kph
Service ceiling: 7,930 meters
Range: 1,900 kilometers with maximum fuel load