High Gallery
United States Military Aircraft
Beech Aircraft
C-45 EXPEDITER
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| The C-45 was widely used by the military in the Second World War, and was a development of the Model 18 civil light transport which had first flown in January 1937. The first US Army order was placed in 1940 for 11 examples of the Model B-18s, which were accepted with the designation C-45 for use as staff transport. The C-45 proved so successful that considerable larger orders were placed for similar aircraft in a number of roles including multi- engine training of two basic types, photo survey, and utility transport. Production of the Model 18 series lasted to 1969 and a totaled some 9,100 aircraft including 7,521 used by the military. |
TECHNICAL DATA
| Description | Specifications |
| Manufacturer: Beechcraft | Length: 34 ft. 3 in. |
| First Flight: January 1937 | Height: 9 ft. 8 in. |
| Model: 18 | Wing Span: 47 ft. 8 in. |
| Crew: Two | Wing Area: 349.0 sq. ft. |
| Nickname: Expediter | Empty Weight: 5,890 lb. |
| Basic Role: Light transport. | Max. Weight: 7,850 lb. |
| Other Versions:
C-45 staff transport, C-45A utility
transport,
C-45B & Expediter Mk I (British) revised interior, C-45 to E civil aircraft, C-45F & Mk II seven passenger version with a lengthened nose, C-45G post war modernization of C-45s with an autopilot, C-45H post war modernization of C-45s without an autopilot, AT-7 navigation trainer, AT-7A revised landing gear and ventral fin, AT-7B winterized model AT-7C different power plant, AT-11 bombing and gunnery trainer, AT-11A, AT-11 converted for navigation trainer, F-2 civil aircraft modified for photo survey, F-2A similar conversion of C-45A, F-2B similar conversion of C-45F, JRB-1/4 naval version of C-45 series. SNB-1/2 naval version of AT-7/11 series. |
Pay Load: Eight passengers. |
| Principal User: Canada, China, France, Great Britain, and USA. |
Propulsion |
|
Performance |
Power Plant: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 radial piston engines. |
| Range: 700 miles. | Horsepower: 450-hp. |
| Max. Speed: 215 mph. | No. Of Engines: Two |
| Ceiling: 20,000 ft. | |
| Climb Rate: 10,000 ft in 8 minutes 36 seconds. | Photo by S. H. A. A. |