This British mashup of a Land Rover Defender TD5 130 and an Airstream trailer has created the “Aerover.” It also mixes in some military aircraft cues inside. Both are iconic symbols of traveling since forever. 

Mashing a Land Rover and Airstream is the Duckworth Aerover

Duckworth Overland is finishing up the prototype at its Somerset facility. They expect the company will make a limited production run of Aerovers, but no numbers have been offered. It is headed by Thomas Duckworth and engineer/CAD designer Michael Gerrard. Duckworth has a background in concocting overlanding vehicles. 

Their goal is a unique, reliable vehicle that is simple to operate, easy to store, and gets good fuel mileage. The engine, driveline, and suspension are all restored Land Rover Defender. But the chassis is galvanized, and air suspension has been added to update things. 

The Aerover camper section is call the “habitation pod”

Hung on the back is what they call a “habitation pod” which is the Airstream part. The outside of the pod is Airstream-like, while inside are aircraft-inspired construction and details. Actually, the pod is entirely new construction and not vintage.

A CNC-designed wood buck was made to form the hand-hewn aluminum skins. After the panels were made they were riveted while still on the buck. Once stitched together, the panels were transferred from the buck to an aluminum framework. 

The Aerover interior is not complete so you can see the aircraft-inspired construction

For now, the interior is not complete. But that’s OK because you can see the framework as well as the amount of space that awaits the final buyer’s bidding. Once done, it will sustain travelers for extended times. 

It will package a dinette that folds down to become a double bed. There is also a kitchen with lots of storage, or the buyer can opt for space to accommodate a smaller bed. In that case, a smaller kitchen would be built at the back as an outdoor cooking area. 

All of the appliances would be powered by electricity from a 200-Ah lithium-ion battery. It is fed by 22-watt solar panels located on the roof. A separate feature allows for the Aerover to tie into camp electricity. 

“We are building something that looks vintage, but is thoroughly modern”

A portable toilet is one option, but Duckworth can also package a built-in unit if desired. Again, it remains to be seen what future buyers want in their rig. “We are building something that looks vintage, but is thoroughly modern,” says Duckworth. “Also, we wanted to create something that is both incredibly practical and of a unique and seamless style.” 

No prices have been advertised and really, until it is finished it is hard to determine. Duckworth wants interiors to be determined by the buyers, with top-quality wood and finishes. It will be much more high-end than some customers might expect. We’re anxious to see how the inside aircraft theme is finished.