Beech C-45 Expeditor

The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time), over 9,000 were built, making it one of the world's most widely used light aircraft. Sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis, or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft."Beechcraft D18S Twin Beech."
''National Air and Space Museum'' of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Retrieved: 17 December 2014."Fact Sheet: Beech C-45H Expeditor."
'' National Museum of the U.S. Air Force'', Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. Retrieved: 5 August 2017."Twin Beech: The 1930s airplane that set Beech Aircraft Corporation on a course towards 50 years of success"
''Flying Magazine'', February 1982, pp. 26-30, Retrieved: 5 August 2017

During and after World War II, over 4,500 Beech 18s were used in military service—as light transport, light bomber (for China), aircrew trainer (for bombing, navigation, and gunnery), photo-reconnaissance, and "mother ship" for target drones—including United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan; and United States Navy (USN) UC-45J Navigator, SNB-1 Kansan, and others. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators trained in these aircraft."Fact Sheet: Beech AT-11 Kansan."
'' National Museum of the U.S. Air Force'', Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. Retrieved: 5 August 2017.

In the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent "business aircraft" and "feeder airliner". Besides carrying passengers, its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish stocking, dry-ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air-mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine testbed, skywriting, banner towing, and stunt aircraft. Many are privately owned, around the world, with 240 in the U.S. still on the FAA Aircraft Registry in August 2017.Bauschspies, James S. and William E. Simpson
"Research and Technology Program Perspectives for General Aviation and Commuter Aircraft"
NASA Contract NASW-3554 for NASA, Sept. 1982, N83-17454#. Retrieved: 18 Dec. 2014. (In particular, see: Table 2.4 "COMMUTER CARGO FLEET IN 1981 - TOP TEN AIRCRAFT MODELS - NUMBER IN FLEET," which notes Beech 18 units are more than the next two aircraft ''combined'' (Convair 500/680 and Douglas DC-3), and more than the next three general aviation aircraft combined."Beech 18" FAA Aircraft Registry.
'' Federal Aviation Administration''. Retrieved: 5 August 2017.

Design and development

By the late 1930s, Beechcraft management speculated that a demand would exist for a new design dubbed the Model 18, which would have a military application, and increased the main production facilities. The design was mainly conventional for the time, including twin radial engines, all-metal semimonocoque construction with fabric-covered control surfaces, and tailwheel undercarriage. Less conventional was the twin-tailfin configuration. The Model 18 can be mistaken for the larger Lockheed Electra series of airliners, which closely resemble it. Early production aircraft were powered either by two 330-hp (250-kW) Jacobs L-6s or 350-hp (260-kW) Wright R-760Es. The 450-hp (336-kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 became the definitive engine from the prewar C18S onwards. The Beech 18 prototype first flew on 15 January 1937, and type certification followed on 4 March that year.Pelletier 1995, p. 66

The aircraft has used a variety of engines and has had a number of airframe modifications to increase gross weight and speed. At least one aircraft was modified to a 600-hp (447-kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 powerplant configuration. With the added weight of about 200 lb (91 kg) per engine, the concept of a Model 18 fitted with R-1340 engines was deemed unsatisfactory due to the weakest structural area of the aircraft being the engine mounts. Nearly every airframe component has been modified.

In 1955, deliveries of the Model E18S commenced; the E18S featured a fuselage that was extended higher for more headroom in the passenger cabin. All later Beech 18s (sometimes called Super 18s) featured this taller fuselage, and some earlier models (including one AT-11) have been modified to this larger fuselage. The Model H18, introduced in 1963, featured optional tricycle undercarriage. Unusually, the undercarriage was developed for earlier-model aircraft under an STC by Volpar, and installed in H18s at the factory during manufacture. A total of 109 H18s was built with tricycle undercarriage, and another 240 earlier-model aircraft were modified with this."Model 18 Specifications."
''Beechcraft Heritage Museum''. Retrieved: 24 August 2008.

Construction of the Beechcraft Model 18 ended in 1970 with a final Model H18 going to Miyazaki Aviation College, Japan. Through the years, 32 variations of the basic design had flown, over 200 improvement modification kits were developed, and almost 8,000 aircraft were built. In one case, the aircraft was modified to a triple tail, trigear, humpbacked configuration and appeared similar to a miniature Lockheed Constellation. Another distinctive conversion was carried out by Pacific Airmotive as the PacAero Tradewind. This featured a lengthened nose to accommodate the tricycle nosewheel, and the Model 18's twin tailfins were replaced by a single fin."Beechcraft 3NMT Expeditor."
''Canadian Museum of Flight.'' Retrieved: 13 August 2012.

Operational history

Production got an early boost when Nationalist China paid the company US$750,000 for six M18R light bombers,"Beechcraft page."
''Aerofiles.'' Retrieved: 12 August 2008. but by the time of the U.S. entry into World War II, only 39 Model 18s had been sold, of which 29 were for civilian customers. Work began in earnest on a variant specifically for training United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) military pilots, bombardiers, and navigators. The effort resulted in the Army AT-7. Further development led to the AT-11 navigation trainer, C-45 military transport, and F-2 (the "F" standing for "Fotorecon", short for "photographic reconnaissance"). The United States Navy first adopted the Beech 18 as the JRB-1, equivalent to the F-2, followed by the JRB-2 transport; the JRB was initially named the Voyager, but this name did not enter common use, and JRBs were generally called Expeditors like their USAAF counterparts. The first JRB-1 obtained by the Navy, bureau number (BuNo) ''09771'', was converted from the last civil Model 18 built before production was earmarked solely for the military for the duration of the war. The Navy subsequently obtained more Model 18s as the JRB-3 (C-45B), JRB-4 (UC-45F), SNB-1 Kansan (AT-11), SNB-2 (AT-7), and SNB-2C (AT-7C). Existing naval Twin Beeches were subsequently modified into the SNB-2H air ambulance, SNB-2P reconnaissance trainer, and SNB-3Q electronic countermeasures trainer. The United States Coast Guard acquired seven JRB-4 and JRB-5 aircraft from the Navy between 1943 and 1947; they were primarily used as utility transports, with one aircraft later converted for aerial mapping, and another used for proficiency flying.

After the war, the USAAF became the United States Air Force (USAF), and the USAF Strategic Air Command had Model 18 variants (AT-11 Kansans, C-45 Expeditors, F-2 Expeditors, and UC-45 Expeditors) from 1946 until 1951. In 1950, the Navy still had around 1,200 JRB and SNB aircraft in inventory. From 1951 to 1955, the USAF had many of its aircraft remanufactured with new fuselages, wing center sections, and undercarriages to take advantage of the improvements to the civil models since the end of World War II. Eventually, 900 aircraft were remanufactured to be similar to the then-current Model D18S and given new designations, constructor's numbers, and Air Force serial numbers."C-45H."
''Beechcraft Heritage Museum''. Retrieved: 24 August 2008. The USN had many of its surviving aircraft remanufactured as well, resulting in the JRB-6, the SNB-5, and SNB-5P. The Coast Guard retired its JRBs in 1956 and sold most of them as surplus in 1959, but one was retained by the United States Coast Guard Reserve until at least 1972. With the adoption of the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, the Navy's SNB-5 and SNB-5P became the TC-45J and RC-45J respectively, later becoming the UC-45J as their primary mission shifted from aircrew training to utility transport work. The C-45 flew in USAF service until 1963, the USN retired its last UC-45J in 1972, while the U.S. Army flew its C-45s until 1976. In later years, the military called these aircraft "bug smashers" in reference to their extensive use supplying mandatory flight hours for desk-bound aviators in the Pentagon.O'Rourke, G.G, CAPT USN. "Of Hosenoses, Stoofs, and Lefthanded Spads." ''United States Naval Institute Proceedings'', July 1968.

Beech 18s were used extensively by Air America during the Vietnam War; initially more-or-less standard ex-military C-45 examples were used, but then the airline had 12 aircraft modified by Conrad Conversions in 1963 and 1964 to increase performance and load-carrying capacity. The modified aircraft were known as Conrad Ten-Twos, as the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) was increased to . The increase was achieved by several airframe modifications, including increased horizontal stabilizer angle-of-incidence, redesigned undercarriage doors, and aerodynamically improved wingtips. Air America then had Volpar convert 14 aircraft to turboprop power, fitted with Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 engines; modified aircraft were called Volpar Turbo Beeches, and also had a further increase in MTOW to ."Air America: Beech/Volpar Turbo Beech 18".
''University of Texas at Dallas'', 2006. Retrieved: 5 August 2017.

Spar problems

The wing spar of the Model 18 was fabricated by welding an assembly of tubular steel. The configuration of the tubes in combination with drilled holes from aftermarket STC modifications on some of these aircraft have allowed the spar to become susceptible to corrosion and cracking while in service. This prompted the FAA to issue an Airworthiness Directive in 1975, mandating the fitting of a spar strap to some Model 18s. This led, in turn, to the retirement of a large number of STC-modified Model 18s when owners determined the aircraft were worth less than the cost of the modifications. The corrosion on unmodified spars was not a problem; it occurred due to the additional exposed surface area created through the STC hole-drilling process. Further requirements have been mandated by the FAA and other national airworthiness authorities, including regular removal of the spar strap to allow the strap to be checked for cracks and corrosion and the spar to be X-rayed. In Australia, the airworthiness authority has placed a life limit on the airframe, beyond which aircraft are not allowed to fly.

Variants

Manufacturer models

Unless otherwise noted, the engines fitted are Pratt & Whitney R-985 radials.

;Model 18A
:First production model with seating for two pilots and seven or eight passengers, fitted with Wright R-760E-2 engines of , MTOW: Four built.Pelletier 1995, p. 68
* Model S18A
:Version of Model 18A capable of being fitted with skis or Edo 55-7170 floats; MTOW:

;Model A18A
:Version fitted with Wright R-760E-2 engines, MTOW:
* Model SA18A
:Seaplane version of Model A18A, MTOW:

;Model 18B
:Version powered with Jacobs L-5 engines. Four built.McKillop, Jack
"Beech JRB Expedition (sic), Beech SNB Kansan and Navigator".
''microworks.ne.'' Retrieved: 28 August 2008.
* Model S18B
:Version of Model 18B capable of being fitted with skis or floats.

;Model 18D
:Variant with seating for two pilots and nine passengers, fitted with Jacobs L-6 engines of , MTOW: . Twelve aircraft built.
* Model S18D
:Version of Model 18D capable of being fitted with skis or , MTOW: "S18D."
''Beechcraft Heritage Museum.'' Retrieved: 12 August 2008.

;Model A18D
:Variant of 18D with MTOW increased by to .
* Model SA18D
:Seaplane version of Model A18D, but same MTOW as S18D.

;Model 18R
:Model with Pratt and Whitney R-985, , seven built, one to Sweden as an air ambulance, six to Nationalist China as M18R light bombers

;Model 18S
:Nine-passenger pre-World War II civil variant, powered by served as basis for USAAF C-45C

;Model B18S
:Nine-passenger pre-World War II civil variant, served as basis for USAAF F-2

;Model C18S
:Variant of B18S with seating for eight passengers, and equipment and minor structural changes"Beech C18S Type Certificate."
''Federal Aviation Administration''. Retrieved: 12 August 2008.

;Model D18S
:First post-World War II variant introduced in 1945, with seating for eight passengers and MTOW of , 1,035 built"Aircraft Serial Number Lists 1945–2008."
''Hawker Beechcraft''. Retrieved: 8 August 2008.

;Model D18C
:Variant with Continental R9-A engines of and MTOW of , introduced in 1947, 31 built.FAA Beech D18/E18/G18/H18 Series Type Certificate.
Retrieved 8 August 2008."Beech 18".
''Airliners.net''. Retrieved: 8 August 2008.

;Model E18S

:Variant with redesigned wing and MTOW of ; 403 built

;Model E18S-9700
:Variant of E18S with MTOW of ; 57 built

;Model G18S

:Superseded E18S, MTOW of ; 155 built

;Model G18S-9150
:Lightweight version of G18, MTOW of ; one built

;Model H18
:Last production version, fitted with optional tricycle undercarriage developed by Volpar and MTOW of ; 149 built, of which 109 were manufactured with tricycle undercarriage

Military versions

USAAC/USAAF designations

;C-45
:Six-seat staff transport based on C18S; 11 builtDonald 1995, p. 7.Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p. 36.

;C-45A
:Eight-seat utility transport based on C18S; 20 built

;RC-45A
:Redesignation of all surviving F-2, F-2A, and F-2B aircraft by the USAF in 1948

;C-45B
:Based on C18S, but with modified internal layout; 223 ordered, redesignated UC-45B in 1943 Equipped with a hatch in the cabin door for aerial photography.

;C-45C
:Two Model 18S aircraft impressed into the USAAF, redesignated UC-45C in January 1943"USA Warplanes C-45 page."
''uswarplanes.net''. Retrieved 24 August 2008.Baugher, Joe

''USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers–1908 to Present''. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.

;C-45D
:Designation given to two AT-7 aircraft converted as passenger transports during manufacture, redesignated UC-45D in January 1943Baugher, Joe

''USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers–1908 to Present''. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.

;C-45E
:Designation given to two AT-7 and four AT-7B aircraft converted as passenger transports during manufacture, redesignated UC-45E in January 1943

;C-45F
:Standardized seven-seat version based on C18S, with longer nose than preceding models; 1,137 ordered, redesignated UC-45F

;C-45G
:AT-7s and AT-11s remanufactured in the early 1950s for the USAF to similar standard as civil D18S with autopilot and R-985-AN-3 engines; 372 aircraft rebuilt

;TC-45G
:Multiengine crew trainer variant of C-45G; AT-7s and AT-11s remanufactured in the early 1950s for the USAF to similar standard as civil D18S, 96 aircraft rebuiltBaugher, Joe
"USAF 1951 Serial Number List."
''USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers–1908 to Present''. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
;C-45H
:AT-7s and AT-11s remanufactured in the early 1950s for the USAF to similar standard as civil D18S, with no autopilot and R-985-AN-14B engines; 432 aircraft rebuiltBaugher, Joe

''USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers–1908 to Present''. Retrieved: 24 August 2008.

;TC-45H

;RC-45J
:In 1962, all surviving U.S. Navy SNB-5Ps were redesignated RC-45J

;TC-45J
:In 1962 all surviving U.S. Navy SNB-5s were redesignated TC-45J

;UC-45J
:Subsequent redesignation of RC-45J and TC-45J

;AT-7 Navigator
:Navigation trainer based on C18S, with an astrodome and positions for three students, powered by 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-985-25 engines; 577 built

;AT-7A
:Floatplane version of AT-7; six built

;AT-7B
:Winterised AT-7; nine built

;AT-7C
:Based on C18S with R-985-AN3 engines; 549 built

;AT-11 Kansan
:Bombing and gunnery trainer for USAAF derived from AT-7, fuselage had small, circular cabin windows, bombardier position in nose, and bomb bay; gunnery trainers were also fitted with two or three .30-caliber machine guns, early models (the first 150 built) had a single .30-cal AN-M2 in a Beechcraft-manufactured top turret, later models used a Crocker Wheeler twin .30-cal top turret, a bottom tunnel gun was used for tail gunner training, 1,582 built for USAAF orders, with 24 ordered by Netherlands repossessed by USAAF and used by the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School at Jackson, Mississippi.Donald 1995, pp. 7–8.Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p. 37.

;AT-11A
:Conversion of AT-11 as navigation trainer; 36 converted

;CQ-3
:Conversion of UC-45F, modified to act as drone control aircraft, redesignated as DC-45F in June 1948

;F-2
:Photo-reconnaissance version based on B18

;F-2A
:Improved version

;F-2B

US Navy designations

;JRB-1
:Photographic aircraft, based on the C18S, fitted with fairing over cockpit for improved visibility, 11 obtained,Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 41. at least one conversion from impressed civil B18S

;JRB-2
:Light transport, based on the C18S; 15 obtained, at least one conversion from JRB-1, some transferred from USAAF C-45A stocks

;JRB-3
:Photographic version, similar to C-45B; 23 obtained, some transferred from USAAF C-45B stocks

;JRB-4
:Utility transport version, equivalent to UC-45F; 328 obtained from USAAF

;JRB-6
:Remanufactured JRB

;SNB-1
:Similar to AT-11; 110 built

;SNB-2
:Navigation trainer similar to AT-7, 299 built

;SNB-2C
:Navigation trainer similar to AT-7C, 375 built

;SNB-2H
:Ambulance conversion

;SNB-2P
:Photo-reconnaissance trainer conversion

;SNB-3Q
:Electronic countermeasures trainer conversion

;SNB-5
:Remanufactured SNB or JRB

;SNB-5P
:Remanufactured SNB-2P

RAF/RCAF Lend-lease designations

;Expeditor I: C-45Bs supplied to the RAF under Lend-Lease
;Expeditor II: C-45Fs supplied to the RAF and Royal Navy under Lend-Lease

;Expeditor III: C-45Fs supplied to the RCAF under Lend-Lease

Post-war RCAF designations

C-45Ds delivered between 1951 and 1952
;Expeditor 3N: navigation trainer – 88 built

;Expeditor 3NM: navigational trainer that could be converted to a transport – 59 built
;Expeditor 3NMT: 3NM converted to a transport aircraft – 67 built
;Expeditor 3NMT(Special): navigation trainer/personnel transport – 19 built
;Expeditor 3TM: transport with fittings so it could be converted to a navigation trainer – 44 built"FAA Type Certificate A-765 (Beech D18/E18/G18/H18 Series)." ''Federal Aviation Administration'', p. 48.
;Expeditor 3TM(Special): modified RCAF Expeditors used overseas in conjunction with Project WPB6 – three built

Canadian Armed Forces

;CT-128 Expeditor: 1968 redesignation of existing RCAF aircraft upon unification of the Canadian Armed Forces

Brazilian Air Force designations

;U-45
:Designation for the C-45.

Royal Thai Air Force designations

;B.L.1
:() designation for the C-45B and C-45F.

Conversions

;Conrad 9800
:Modification increasing the gross weight to 9,800 pounds with a single piece windshield
;Dumod I
: Executive conversion with Volpar tricycle landing gear, new wing tips, enlarged fight deck and refurbished 6–7 seat cabin with larger windows. Originally named Infinité I. 37 converted by 1966.Taylor 1967, p. 250.
;Dumod Liner
:Stretched airliner conversion. Similar to Dumod I but with forward fuselage stretched by , allowing up to 15 passengers to be carried. Originally named Infinité II.
;Hamilton HA-1
:conversion of a TC-45J aircraft
;Hamilton Little Liner
:Modification of D18S with aerodynamic improvements and new, retractable tailwheel, capable of carrying 11 seatsTaylor 1965, p. 280.
;Hamilton Westwind
:Turboprop conversions with various engines

;Hamilton Westwind II STD: Stretched conversion powered by two 840-hp PT6As, and with accommodation for up to 17 passengersTaylor 1976, p. 300.
;Hamilton Westwind III:two 579-hp PT6A-20s or 630-hp PT6A-27s or 630-hp Lycoming LTS101s.
;Hamilton Westwind IV:two 570-hp Lycoming LTP101s or 680-hp PT6A-28s or 750-hp PT6A-34s or 1020-hp PT6A-45s
;PacAero Tradewind
:Conversion of Beech D18S/C-45 to five- to 11-seat executive transport with single fin by Pacific Airmotive
;Rausch Star 250
:Built as C-45F 44-47231, this aircraft was re-manufactured at Wichita by Beech in 1952, to become TC-45G 51-11544. From 1959 Rausch Engineering Inc. of South San Francisco, California, converted N8186H to tricycle undercarriage, using forward retracting main gear from a P-51 and rearward-retracting nose-leg from a T-28, adding a nose extension, rear fuselage extension, re-roofed fuselage for increased headroom and enlarged cabin windows. The modifications did not obtain FAA certification despite 58 hours of flight testing, with the aircraft eventually being broken up at Antioch, CA, in 1978.
;SFERMA-Beechcraft PD.18S
:Modification of Beech 18S powered by two Turboméca Bastan turbopropsTaylor 1982, p. 67.
;Volpar (Beechcraft) Model 18
:Conversion of Model 18 with nosewheel undercarriageTaylor 1965, p. 316.Taylor 1982, p. 483.
;Volpar (Beechcraft) Super 18:
;Volpar (Beechcraft) Turbo 18:Beech Model 18s fitted with the Volpar MkIV tricycle undercarriage and powered by two 705-hp Garrett TPE331-1-101B turboprop engines, flat-rated to , driving Hartzell HC-B3TN-5 three-bladed, reversible-pitch, constant-speed feathering propellers
;Volpar (Beechcraft) Super Turbo 18
:2x Garrett TPE331
;Volpar (Beechcraft) C-45G
:C-45G aircraft modified with tricycle undercarriage
;Volpar (Beechcraft) Turboliner
: 15-passenger version of the Turbo 18 with extended fuselage, powered by 2 705-hp Garrett TPE331-1-101BsTaylor 1982, p. 484.
;Volpar (Beechcraft) Turboliner II
:Turboliners modified to meet SFAR 23

Operators

Civil

, the Beechcraft Model 18 remains popular with air charter companies and small feeder airlines worldwide.

Military

;
* Argentine Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 3a.
* Argentine Naval Aviation
;
* Bolivian Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 4a.
;
* Brazilian Air Force
;
* Royal Canadian Air Force 394 examples from 1941 to 1972Griffin 1969, pp. 5–6.
* Royal Canadian Navy 10 examples from 1952 to 1960
** VX-10 Squadron
** VU-32 Squadron
* Canadian Armed Forces
;
* Chilean Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 6a.
* Chilean Army
* Chilean Navy
;
* Colombian Air ForcePelletier 1995, pp. 81–82.
;
* Public Force of Costa RicaPelletier 1995, p. 82.
;Pelletier 1995, p. 83.
;
* Cuban Air Force - received two AT-7s, two AT-11s, a F-2B and a UC-45F in 1947
;
* Dominican Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 7a.
;
* Ecuadorian Air Force
;
* Air Force of El SalvadorBridgman 1951, p. 17a.
;
* French Air Force
* French Naval Aviation
;
* Guatemalan Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 11a.
;
* Haiti Air Corps
;
* Honduran Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 12a.
;
* Indonesian Army
* Indonesian National Police
;
;
* Italian Air Force operated 125 aircraft from 1949 until the 1970s
;
* Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
* Japan Coast Guard
;
* Mexican Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 14a.
* Mexican Navy
;
* Royal Netherlands Air Force
* Dutch Naval Aviation Service
;
* Nicaraguan Air Force
;
* Niger Air Force
;
;
* Paraguayan Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 16a.
;
* Peruvian Air Force
;
* Philippine Army Air Corps
;
* Forca Aerea PortuguesaPelletier 1995, p. 84.
* Portuguese Navy
;
* Somali Air Force – Withdrawn in 1991
;
* South African Air Force
;
* Republic of Vietnam Air Force
;
;
* Sri Lanka Air Force
;
* Swedish Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 19a.
;
* Swiss Air Force
;
* Republic of China Air ForcePelletier 1995, p. 81.
;
* Royal Thai Air ForceBridgman 1951, p. 20a.
;
* Tongan Maritime Force Air Force

;
* Turkish Air Force
;
* Royal Air Force
* Royal Navy – Fleet Air Arm 76 Lend-Lease
** 701 Naval Air Squadron
** 712 Naval Air Squadron
** 723 Naval Air Squadron
** 724 Naval Air Squadron
** 728 Naval Air Squadron
** 730 Naval Air Squadron
** 739 Naval Air Squadron
** 742 Naval Air Squadron
** 755 Naval Air Squadron
** 781 Naval Air Squadron
** 782 Naval Air Squadron
** 791 Naval Air Squadron
;
* United States Army
** United States Army Air Corps
** United States Army Air Forces
* United States Air Force
* United States Coast Guard
** United States Coast Guard Reserve
* United States Marine Corps
* United States Navy
;
* Uruguayan Air ForcePelletier 1995, pp. 84–85.
;
* Venezuelan Air ForcePelletier 1995, p. 85.
;
* Zairian Air Force

Accidents and incidents

The Beechcraft Model 18 family has been involved in the following notable accidents and incidents:
* 25 April 1951: Cubana de Aviación Flight 493, a Douglas DC-4 bound from Miami to Havana, registration ''CU-T188'', collided with a U.S. Navy SNB-1, bureau number ''39939'', on a practice instrument approach to Naval Air Station Key West. The collision and ensuing crashes killed all 34 passengers and five crew aboard the DC-4 and all five crew aboard the SNB. The accident occurred at midday, weather was clear with unlimited visibility, and both flight crews had been cleared to fly under visual flight rules, being expected to "see and avoid" other aircraft; the student flying the SNB was wearing view-limiting goggles, but the other SNB crew were not, and were expected to keep watch. Ground witnesses said that neither aircraft took evasive action prior to the collision, and the Civil Aeronautics Board attributed the accident to the failure of both flight crews to see and avoid conflicting air traffic.
* 1967: Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was killed in the crash of a Beechcraft 18 in Saudi Arabia.
* 10 December 1967: American soul music singer Otis Redding, four members of his backing band the Bar-Kays, the pilot, and another member of Redding's entourage were killed in the crash of Redding's H18, registration ''N390R'', into Lake Monona on approach to Truax Field in Wisconsin. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was unable to determine the cause of the crash, noting that the left engine and propeller were not recovered. Trumpet player Ben Cauley, the sole survivor of the crash, subsequently revived the Bar-Kays together with another band member who was aboard a different aircraft.
* 20 September 1973: American folk rock singer-songwriter Jim Croce, four members of his entourage, and the pilot were killed when their chartered E18S, registration ''N50JR'', crashed into a tree shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches Regional Airport in Louisiana. The NTSB attributed the accident to reduced visibility due to fog, and to physical impairment of the pilot, who had severe coronary artery disease and had run to the airport. An investigation conducted for a lawsuit against the charter company attributed the accident solely to pilot error, citing his downwind takeoff into a "black hole" of severe darkness, causing him to experience spatial disorientation.
* 26 September 1978: Air Caribbean Flight 309, an air taxi flight by a D18S, registration ''N500L'', crashed on approach to Isla Verde International Airport in Puerto Rico, killing the pilot and the five passengers aboard the aircraft and causing substantial property damage and injuries to bystanders on the ground. The pilot could not communicate with approach control and was following directions relayed by local tower controllers, who told the pilot to make a turn and maintain separation from a Lockheed L-1011 that was overtaking the flight, but the pilot did not turn, and the D18S passed underneath and very close to the L-1011. Both the NTSB and a U.S. District Court ruling attributed the crash to the D18S pilot's failure to correctly follow visual flight rules and air traffic control instructions to maintain separation from the much larger L-1011, causing a loss of aircraft control due to wake turbulence. A contributing factor was the pilot's difficulties in communication with controllers.
* 4 July 1987: Ten people, including all then-current members of The Montana Band, were killed when the pilot of their chartered D18S, ''N132E'', failed to clear a hillside near Lakeside, Montana, while performing a flypast of the venue where the band had performed earlier. The pilot performed an "abrupt" climb and performed a " hammerhead stall" maneuver, reversing direction and entering a dive. The accident was attributed to the pilot's poor judgment and failure to maintain altitude during unauthorized attempted aerobatics.

Aircraft on display

Argentina

* 3495 – AT-11A at the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina in Buenos Aires.
* 5621 – C-45H at the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina in Buenos Aires.
* AF-555 – C-45H at the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina in Buenos Aires.
* c/no. BA-752 (former LV-JFH) – H18S at the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina in Buenos Aires.

Australia

* c/no. BA-81 (former N3781B) – E18S at the Queensland Air Museum in Caloundra, Queensland.

Belgium

* c/no CA-191 (former C-FGNR) – 3NM at Pairi Daiza.

Brazil

* 4615 – AT-11 at the Museu Aeroespacial in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
* 2856 – C-45F at the Museu Aeroespacial in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Canada

* 459 – C-45H at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Tail code CF-MJY
* 8034 – 3TM at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
* c/no. A-141 (former CF-MPH) – D18S at the RCMP Academy, Depot Division in Regina, Saskatchewan.
* c/no. A-142 (former CF-MPI) – D18S at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta.
* c/no. A-156 – D18S at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario.
* c/no. A-652 (former RCAF 1477) – 3N at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
* c/no. A-700 – 3NMT at the Canadian Air Land Sea Museum at Toronto/Markham Airport in Markham, Ontario.
* c/no. A-710 – 3NM at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador.
* c/no. A-782 (former CF-CKT) – 3NMT at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, British Columbia (district municipality), Langley, British Columbia.
* c/no. A-872 – 3NMT at the TransCanada Highway in Ignace, Ontario.
* c/no. A-895 – 3NM at the Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton, Alberta.
* c/no. 92-074 – 3NM at The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary, Alberta.

Chile

* c/no. A-1024 (former FACh 465) – D18S at the Museo Aeronautico y del Espacio in Santiago, Chile.

India

* VT-CNY – D18S former aircraft of the Raja of Mayurbhanj and later sold to Coal India Limited- at the Hotel Mayfair Lagoon in Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, Orissa.

Italy

* 6668 – C-45F suspended inside the Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport passenger terminal in Olbia, Sardinia. This was the first aircraft owned by Alisarda, Alisarda Airlines and was used in the filming of the movie ''The Last Emperor''.

Japan

* 'JA5174' – H18 the final Beech 18 produced (c/n BA-765), delivered January 1970 to Miyazaki Aviation College, Japan. In use until 1988, now preserved at the College, Miyazaki Airport.

Malta

* 8304 – C-45H under restoration at the Malta Aviation Museum in Ta' Qali, Malta.

Mexico

* "ETL-1320" (S/N): 18 – UC-45J at the Museo Militar de Aviación.

Netherlands

* 51-11665 – C-45G at the Aviodrome in Lelystad, Netherlands.

New Zealand

* 3691 – AT-11 at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland, New Zealand.

Portugal

* 2504 – AT-11 at the Museu do Ar in Sintra, Portugal.
* 2506 – AT-11 at the Parque do Avião in Leiria, Portugal.

Spain

* AF-752 – C-45H at Fundación Infante de Orleans in Madrid, Spain.

Turkey

* 6390/9-930 – AT-11 at Istanbul Aviation Museum.

United Kingdom

* G-ASUG c/no. BA-111 – E18S at the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian, East Lothian, Scotland.

United States

* 41-27561 – AT-11 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, Ohio. ''or'' 42-37493
* 41-27616 – AT-11B at the Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center at Travis Air Force Base, Travis AFB, California.
* 42-36887 – AT-11 at the Barksdale Global Power Museum in Bossier City, Louisiana.
* 42-37240 – AT-11 at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas.
* 42-37496 – UC-45 at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, Colorado. This aircraft was originally an AT-11 before being remanufactured.

* 44-47342 – UC-45F at the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum in Anchorage, Alaska.
* 51-11467 – C-45G at the EAA Chapter 1241 Air Museum at the Florida Keys Marathon Airport in Marathon, Florida.
* 51-11529 – TC-45H at the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Batavia, Ohio.
* 51-11696 – C-45H at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.
* 51-11795 – C-45G at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Delaware.
* 51-11897 – C-45G at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater, California.
* 52-10539 – C-45H at the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum in Geneseo, New York.
* 52-10865 – C-45H at the Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center at Travis AFB, California.
* 52-10893 – C-45H at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, Ohio.
* 09771 – UC-45J at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida. This aircraft was converted from the last civil Beech 18 built prior to WWII.
* 51225 – UC-45J gate guard at Commemorative Air Force Lone Star Wing, Harrison County Airport (Texas).
* 23774 – UC-45J at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas.
* 51233 – RC-45J at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Sevierville, Tennessee.
* 51242 – UC-45J at the CAF Central Texas Wing in San Marcos, Texas.
* 51291 – UC-45J at the Aerospace Museum of California in Sacramento, California.
* 51338 – UC-45J at the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota.
* c/no. 178 – S18D at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
* c/no. A-935 – D18S at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
* AF-824 – C-45H at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
* c/no. BA-453 – E18S at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
* c/no. BA-670 – H18 at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas.

Specifications (UC-45 Expeditor)

See also

* Air Caribbean Flight 309

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Bridgeman, Leonard, ed. "The Beechcraft Expeditor." ''Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II''. London: Studio, 1946. .
* Leonard Bridgman, Bridgeman, Leonard. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1951–52''. London: Samson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., 1951.
* Donald, David, ed.''American Warplanes of World War II''. London: Aerospace, 1995. .
* Griffin, John A. ''Canadian Military Aircraft Serials & Photographs 1920 - 1968''. Ottawa: Queen's Printer, Publication No. 69-2, 1969.
* Hagedorn, Daniel P. ''Central American and Caribbean Air Forces''. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1993.
* Mesko, Jim. "The Rise...and Fall of the Vietnamese AF". ''Air Enthusiast'', August–November 1981, No. 16. pp. 1–12, 78–80. .
* Mondey, David. ''American Aircraft of World War II'' (Hamlyn Concise Guide). London: Bounty Books, 2006. .
* Ogden, Bob. ''Aviation Museums and Collections of North America''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. .
* Pelletier, A. J. ''Beech Aircraft and their Predecessors''. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1995. .
*
* Pettipas, Leo. ''Canadian Naval Aviation 1945-1968''. L. Pettipas/Canadian Naval Air Group, Winnipeg: 1986.
*
* Swanborough, F. Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. ''United States Military Aircraft since 1909''. London: Putnam, 1963.
*
* John W. R. Taylor, Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1961.
* John W. R. Taylor, Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.
* Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1967–68''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1967.
* Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. .
* Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982-83''. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1982. .
* ''United States Air Force Museum Guidebook''. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation, 1975.
*

External links

Experimental Aircraft Association (Chapter 1000) Beech E18S overview and pictorial tour

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Beechcraft aircraft, 0018
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Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear