The famous Beechcraft airplane was built as a civilian transport plane and throughout its lifetime acquired some nicknames such as the "Exploder", the "Bug Smasher" and the "Wichita Wobbler". Many also refer to this aircraft as the "Twin Beech".
The Beechcraft Model 18 is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft, manufactured once by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas.
The timing of the introduction of this aircraft proved to be perfect: Prior to World War Two, Beech had been outsold by Lockheed almost two to one. In fact, the last flight of Amelia Earhart was aboard a Lockheed 10 which did have some similarities to the Beech 18. Beechcraft was able to sell forty of these planes in 1940 but things were about to change in a big way. Lockheed reverted to build larger planes and that left an opening for Beechcraft. As it turned out, Beechcraft sold the U.S. military about 5,000 of the E-18's through the end of the war. Many of the Beech 18's were used for training for both, pilots and navigators.
A total of more than 9.000 Beech 18 had been built over the years. Its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish seeding, 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 now privately owned, around the world, with 240 in the U.S. still on the FAA Aircraft Registry in 2017.
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Just Some Examples Where You Can Find the Twin Beech in Museums:
Western Antique Aeroplane Museum in Hood River, Oregon
East of Portland, OR, on I-84
East of Portland, OR, on I-84
At WAAAM you will enjoy our extensive collection of antique aircraft including the 1917 Curtiss JN-4D Jenny featuring an OX-5 90 HP engine, our Piper Cub and WACO collections, Aeronca collection, Stearman collection, and more fun aircraft.
Open 9am-5pm
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Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
The museum was founded in 1987 by a group of local volunteers to preserve the province's history in bush planes and aerial firefighting. The CBHC has a 64,000-square-foot (5,900 m2) hangar containing more than thirty aircraft exhibits.
Mid-May to mid-October open daily from 9am to 6pm
Mid-October to mid-May open daily from 10am to 4pm
National Museum of Flight East Fortune, Scotland, UK
The museum collections have expanded into one of the most important in the UK, covering all aspects of aviation including military, civil and recreational. Displaying aircraft from the Beech 18 to a Concorde.
From April - October 2019 Open every day from 10:00-17:00
November to March Saturday and Sunday from 10:00-16:00
The Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, TN
A world-class aviation museum, located between Nashville and Chattanooga. Over 60,000 square feet exhibiting 35+ aircraft from the mid-1920s to this century. Original art pieces and extensive historical displays of aviation and Beechcraft history.
570 Old Shelbyville Hwy, Tullahoma, TN
Open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 8:30 - 4:30
The National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, OH
It is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 6 miles NE of Dayton, Ohio. See a virtual tour: http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/
Admission to the museum is FREE
The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week
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