Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Light feeder-liner/executive aircraft

Power Plant:

Two 336 kw (450 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-B5 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines

Specifications:

History:

The prototype of the Beech 18 series flew for the first time on 15 January 1937. Production commenced at that time and continued until 1969. The first model produced was known as the A-18, powered by two 261 kw (350 hp) Wright Whirlwind engines. As with most other makes of aircraft of the time, operators had a preference for the installation of certain engines. The 336 kw (450 hp) Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior engine was also being offered, and this model became known as the B-18. As production continued, only the latter engine was installed.

At the outbreak of World War II the Beech 18 was ordered in quantity for the US military services as a utility transport and some 5,204 were eventually completed with the general designation C-45. It was also supplied to the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) where it was known as the Expediter. A further 1,582 were built for the US Navy with structural modifications to house a bomb-aimer’s station in the nose, and a weapons bay in the centre section. These became known as the AT-11 Kansan (see separate article) and, towards the end of their military life, some were re-manufactured as C-45H utility transports. USAF military designations ranged from the C-45 through to the C-45H, the RC-45H and TC-45H being photographic and training models. In addition, the type served with some thirty of the world’s air forces as a six-seat utility transport, and as a communications aircraft.

The Beech 18 was operated by Philippine Airlines prior to the outbreak of World War II and during the evacuation of personnel from the Philippines in 1941 examples are known to have been flown to Australia. It is known one, whilst returning from Australia on 26 January 1942, was intercepted by Japanese fighters and shot down over Lanao in the Philippines. Another was destroyed in an air raid on the ground in Surabaya in Indonesia. A couple eventually remained in Australia where the type, with further examples imported from the United States, was extensively used as a light transport by American forces.

After World War II production continued with aircraft for the civil role. About 1,030 of the initial versions, the C-18 and D-18, had been delivered by the time production turned to the E-18 Super 18, which appeared in December 1953. This new model featured a re-designed wing, up-rated Wasp Junior engines, improved passenger accommodation, weather radar, an auto-pilot and, eventually, either a tailwheel or tricycle undercarriage. The engineering and passenger accommodation standards were then progressively improved in succeeding models, the G-18 and H-18. The latter was the final version produced by Beechcraft. Some 720 Super 18s had been built by the time production ceased.

During World War II the Beech 18 series was extensively used in the southern Pacific region by the US military services for communications and transport roles. Many were noted visiting Australian and New Zealand airports.

In addition, a number of Beech 18s have had an Australian civil connection over the years and these have included: c/n 4213, an SNB-2 which operated with the US Navy as Bu39194. It arrived in Australia in December 1942 on board the ‘USS Shangri-la’. It later became VH-BJJ with Thiess Bros in March 1949 and went to Connellan Airways of Alice Springs, NT in July 1957. It became VH-CLG in November 1958 and crashed at Cresswell Downs Station, NT on 12 August 1965. The wreck was recovered in 1991 by the Queensland Air Museum. It has been partly restored and placed on display at Caloundra.

C/n 7887 was a C-45F with the USAAF. It operated as F-BEDE before being imported by Brown & Dureau Ltd in 1951. VH-BRQ was allotted but was not taken up and the aircraft remained overseas, later becoming TR-LLU.

C/n 8468 was a UC-45F with the USAAF with the serial 44-87209. It was later PI-C80, VR-HED and G-ALJJ before becoming VH-KFD with Brown & Dureau Ltd in May 1952. It went to Connellan Airways of Alice Springs and became VH-CLF in June 1959. It was retired in February 1966 and burnt for fire practice in 1968.

C/n 808 was a Model D-18S and was first registered N721D in 1952. It became VH-CRT with Thiess Bros in October 1956 and in March 1967 went to Flinders Island Airlines of Moorabbin, VIC. It became VH-FIE in June 1967 and in later years it was owned by Tanamarah Investments of Dubbo, NSW.

C/n A-73, a D-18S, was initially N3010V before becoming ZK-BQE with Trans Island Airways Ltd of Christchurch in 1956 and named ‘Spirit of North Otago’. It operated in New Zealand until 1958. In March 1960 it was exported to Australia for Connellan Airways of Alice Springs and became VH-CLI. It was struck off the register with a cracked mainspar in 1967 and went to the Warbirds Museum at Mildura, VIC. In 1984 it was conveyed to Alice Springs where, painted in Connellan Airways markings, it was placed on display in a museum at the old Alice Springs airport.

C/n A-458, a D-18S, was formerly N628B before being VH-FID with Flinders Island Airlines at Moorbbin in June 1961. It later went to the Melbourne Herald Group and, with VH-FIE, was used for delivering newspapers. In 1979 it became part of the Malcolm Long collection and has been airworthy with Panama Jacks Vintage Aircraft at Canning Bridge, WA.

C/n A-499 was formerly AT-1106, B-215 and B-1529 before becoming VH-SAU with Savage Air Services of Mittagong, NSW. It then spent a period of years in Kununurra, WA before moving back to New South Wales and has been airworthy.

C/ns BA-750, BA-744, BA-746 and BA-747 were all ex-Japanese owned H-18 examples which were allotted registrations VH-CKN, VH-CKQ, VH-CKS, and VH-CKR for Trans West Air Charter of Perth, WA but the registrations were not taken up and the aircraft were not imported.

C/n BA-704, an H-18, ex N5645, was imported by Helitrans Australia of Cairns, QLD and became VH-PDI in February 1976. It was later registered VH-ATX in November 1989 and was operated with Sunbird Airways Pty Ltd.

C/n A-846, a D-18S formerly operated as N9723N, CF-IRS, and N303W was imported in December 1989 and became VH-UWG. It operated in New South Wales until sold in the United States as N52DN in July 1994.

C/n BA-371, an E-18S (ex N753CW, V6-CAA, N753CW, N753C) was imported in May 2000 and has been airworthy as VH-CII in Queensland. C/n BA-81 (ex N3781B, 061600) was also imported at the same time and became VH-CIJ, both aircraft being operated by Bob Keys of Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.

Further Model 18s have been operated in New Zealand. One, registered in 1956, was D-18S ZK-BQE mentioned above. A second, ZK-TEX (c/n A.989), was obtained in 1986 by the New Zealand wing of the Confederate Air Force and was painted as a USAAF UC-45 (serial 44-47506), in the colours of the Beech 18 used by the US Legation in Wellington in 1945, and has been operated from Auckland.  A Beech C-45 was imported during World War II for operation by the USAF Legation, this aircraft being assembled at Hobsonville.