USA & CANADA 1980s - BEECH 18

A selection of Twin Beech photos I took in USA and Canada during the 1980s

Beech D18S N80385 was a freighter at San Juan, Puerto Rico in October 1981

D18S N80045 at Macon, Georgia in October 1981 has some of the many modifications marketed to Beech 18 owners,
including Skymotive Inc nose cap and extended over-wing nacelles, enlarged cabin windows, wrap-around windscreen.

D18S N121SC heads a row of Beech 18s at Chino CA in September 1981. N121SC ex All American Air Freight was
Enrico Bottieri's long-term restoration project, finally flying again in 2005 named Impossible Dream


D18S N765D at Nome, Alaska in September 1981 was based here as a freighter


D18S N80386 also at Nome AK in September 1981 still wore the name Tricon Airlines from earlier Texas days

In the early 1950s the US Air Force had 900 wartime military Beech 18 models rebuilt by Beech at Wichita to D18S equivalent
designated C-45G and C-45H. These came on to the surplus market from 1959 as low-time bargains for civil owners.
This polished metal C-45H N450G at Billings, Montana in August 1989 was a night freighter with Majestic Airlines.
 

C-45G N114V at Fairbanks Alaska in September 1981

C-45H N9WM at Fort Lauderdale-Executive, Florida in August 1989 has had the Volpar trigear modification which included
the extended nose, as well as other improvements like wrap-around windcreen, vista windows, 3 bladed props.

SNB-1 N2880D was built in 1943 to wartime US Navy order as an equivalent to the USAAF AT-11 bombardier trainer.
After a civil career, this example was restored back to wartime standard with transparent nose and functioning bomb bay for
Kermit Weeks and flown from his Weeks Air Museum at New Tamiami Airport, Florida where it was seen in August 1989.

SNB-1 N145SC at Oshkosh July 1989 was a more authentic military restoration with the original porthole cabin windows and
dorsal gun turret, painted in Chinese Nationalist Air Force markings.

N8744 had been a US Navy SNB-5 issued surplus to Honolulu Community College as an instructional airframe at their
aviation engineering school at Honolulu Airport. It had been spray-painted several times when seen in 1981
 

N9493 was another US Navy SNB-5, redesignated UC-45J in 1962. It was retitred to Davis Monthan AFB Arizona in 1967
before being issued surplus to Dade County Board of Public Education in Florida two years later. N9493 was ferried to Miami
to become an instructional airframe at the George T. Baker Aviation School at Miami Airport. Seen in August 1989.

The E18S was the first model of the successful new line of Beechcraft Super 18s built at Wichita KS from 1953-1968.
They featured many improvements, including a raised headroom cabin and enlarged cockpit windows, clearly seen on
E18S CF-PER of Air Niagara Ltd, seen at Toronto-Malton Airport in October 1981.

E18S N561S The Yukon Jack was parked at the airport cafe at Flabob Airport, Roubidoux California in September 1981

A row of E18S freighters with ABC Airlines at home base Dallas-Fort Worth Texas Novemebr 1981, N130L closest.

E18S N398B on a quick stop at Fresno, California in August 1989 during a scheduled day freight service for Union Fights,
based at Sacramento CA. The retrofitted cockpit door is open to allow the cabin to be filled with revenue cargo.

E18S N141ZA against a threatening sky at Greybull, Wyoming in August 1989. It was a freighter with fire bombing operator
Hawkins and Powers Aviation, after 20 years with the US Dept of Agriculture. USDA had it fitted with JATO rockets
to assist takeoff from high elevation moutain strips, later using it as a fruit fly sprayer.

E18S N4303Y is an example of the many Super 18s retrospectively fitted with the Volpar trigear modification kit. Seen at Hilo,
Hawaii in August 1981 during Panorama Air Tours' daily tourist scenic services operated by a fleet of Twin Beech trigears


Final Beech 18 model was the Super H18 which was marketed by Beech with an option for factory-fitted Volpar trigear.
H18 N8475E was one of the few delivered with conventional tail wheel, to the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency in 1965.
Photographed at Honolulu in August 1981 on Hawaiian inter-island freight service with DHL Cargo.

H18 N34AP with factory trigear was originally delivered in 1967 to Japan Air Lines as part of an order for 7 for pilot training.
A 1974 sale by JAL to Trans West Airlines in Australia fell through, and it was sold to Hawaii. Seen at Kauai August 1981.

H18 N99800 was another former Japan Air Lines pilot trainer, seen at Oshkosh Wisconsin July 1989 during a freight courier
schedule with a Georgia charter operator. The retrofitted cockpit door is open while the pilot took a break.

H18 N811BF of Basler Airlines at home base Oshkosh WI in July 1989. Widely known for their successful turbine DC-3
modification production line at Oshkosh, Basler have operated night freight contracts for many years.


This Beech H18 is a former Brazilian Air Force aircraft modified for military roles, designated TC-45T,  later U-45T.
An order for 15 TC-45Ts was delivered in 1964 from H18 production, and later sold surplus to Brazilian civil operators.
PT-KVZ of Rio taxi Aereo Ltda was at Miami-Opa Locka in August 1989 advertised for US sale.
 

During the 1960s the availability of smaller turboprop power plants and good supply of Beech 18 airframes resulted in a variety
of highly-modified Beech 18 turbine conversions. N399V at Tamiami, Florida in October 1981 was a Volpar Super Turbo 18,
using AiResearch TPE-331 turbines.  A total of 35 aircraft were modified, including 15 Air America Beech 18s modified
by Air Asia in Taiwan.  N399V was based on a C-45G airframe and retains the low roof.

N431DK was a Volpar Super Turbo 18 converted from a C-45G for Air America in 1966 on Taiwan. It was ferried back to
USA in August 1975 for resale, going to Switzerland as a sprayer for 5 years before returning to join Connie Kalitta Services
at Detroit-Willow Run for freight work. Note the large cargo door. Seen at Willow Run in August 1989.

N407TH at Anchorage Alaska September 1981 was a Volpar Turboliner converted from a surplus USAF C-45H by Volpar inc
at Van Nuys CA in 1971. The design included the fuselage stretch, AiResearch TPE331 turboprops, raised roof and trigear.

N700WA was an upgraded Volpar Turboliner II conversion, completed in 1974 based on a Beech E18S airframe.

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