Beech 18
- CountryUnited States of America
- TypeLight utility transport
- PowerplantsSuper H18 - Two 335kW (450hp) Pratt & Whitney R985AN14B Wasp Junior nine cylinder radial piston engines driving two blade constant speed propeller. Turboliner - Two 525kW (705ehp) AiResearch (Garrett) TPE3311101B turboprops driving three blade constant speed Hartzell propellers.
- PerformanceSuper H18 - Max cruising speed 354km/h (191kt), economical cruising speed 298km/h (160kt). Initial rate of climb 1400ft/min. Service ceiling 21,400ft. Range with max fuel 2460km (1330nm). Turboliner - Max speed 450km/h (243kt), economical cruising speed 412km/h (222kt). Initial rate of climb 1520ft/min. Service ceiling 24,000ft. Range with max fuel and reserves 3340km (1800nm), range with max payload and reserves 555km (300nm).
- WeightsSuper H18 - Empty equipped 2650kg (5845lb), max takeoff 4490kg (9900lb). Turboliner - Empty (airliner) 2993kg (6600lb), max takeoff 5215kg (11,500lb).
- DimentionsSuper H18 - Wing span 15.14m (49ft 8in), length 10.70m (35ft 3in), height 2.84m (9ft 4in). Wing area 33.5m2 (360.7sq ft). Turboliner - Wing span 14.02m (46ft 0in), length 13.47m (44ft 3in), height 2.92m (9ft 7in). Wing area 34.8m2 (374sq ft).
- CapacityMost Beech 18s seat two crew and seven to nine passengers in main cabin. Volpar Turboliner conversion seats up to 15.
- ProductionOver 9000 Beech 18s of all models built between 1937 and 1969, of which 2000 were built postwar. Wartime military production accounts for majority of Beech 18s built (approx 5000).
Beech's best aerial shuttle, more than 9000 Beech 18s were manufactured over a continuous three decade long creation run, keeping in mind huge numbers of those were fabricated against wartime military contracts, unlimited numbers happened to see common administration.
The model Beech 18 first flew on January 15 1937. The configuration took after ordinary outline knowledge at the time, including twin outspread motors, metal development and taildragger undercarriage, while less regular were the twin tail balances. Early generation air ship were either controlled by two 225kw (300hp) Jacobs L6s or 260kw (350hp) Wright R760es. The Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior turned into the conclusive motor from the prewar C18s onwards.
The requests of World War 2 fundamentally helped the officially fruitful Beech 18's fortunes, with 5000 manufactured as C45s for the US Army Air Force for utilization as transports and multi motor pilot mentors.
After war, huge quantities of C45s entered common administration, while Beech continued generation of the C18s. Dynamic advancement brought about the D18s of 1946, the Continental controlled D18c of 1947, the E18s of 1954, the G18s from 1959 and the H18 with discretionary tricycle undercarriage from 1962. Beech creation stopped in 1969.
The Beech 18 has additionally been the subject of various changes. Volpar has offered tricycle undercarriage transformations, changes with Tpe331 turboprops and extended and Tpe331 fueled transformations (portrayed in the determinations above). Hamilton in the interim changed over Beech 18s as Westwinds with Pratt & Whitney Canada Pt6 turboprops furthermore offered extends.
Pictures of Beech 18
