In 1959, Beech Aircraft Corporation took aim at the expanding business flying market by launching the Model 33 to compete with the Cessna “Skylane” and Piper “Comanche.”
In November 1959, Beech Aircraft Corporation’s president Olive Ann Beech challenged the company’s global sales personnel to meet the ambitious goal of $60 million in sales during the upcoming 1960 fiscal year. As with other general aviation manufacturers in 1959, Beech Aircraft was recovering from the economic recession of 1958 that drove down sales and profits.
President Beech and her senior management were increasingly aware of gaps in the company’s product line, particularly the lightweight single- and twin-engine segments. Since 1957 the Model 95 “Travel Air” had closed the gap between the Model 35 “Bonanza” and the much larger Model 50 “Twin Bonanza,” but the model remained the company’s entry-level Beechcraft. To further expand its growing “Air Fleet of American Business,” in 1959 Beech Aircraft announced development of the Model 33 “Debonair” and promised its worldwide sales organization that the new Beechcraft would be available for the 1960 model year.
Since 1932, the company founded by Walter and Olive Ann Beech had focused on the upper echelon of the private/business flying market and the name “Beechcraft” was known worldwide as the “Cadillac” of small aircraft. In the wake of World War II, however, the general aviation landscape began to change as more and more people started to realize the advantages of flying their own airplane. Throughout the 1950s the number of men and women earning a private pilot’s license increased significantly, and airframe manufacturers such as Cessna Aircraft Company and Piper Aircraft Corporation offered a selection of affordable, four-place airplanes. By the mid-1950s these included Cessna’s all-metal Model 182 and Piper’s welded steel tube and fabric PA-22 “Tri-Pacer,” which barely accommodated four adults in its cramped cabin.
By contrast, Beech Aircraft’s entry-level airplane was the Model 35 Bonanza that, since its introduction in 1947, had enjoyed immense popularity with pilots who could afford to own one. Beechcraft Bonanza historian Larry A. Ball summed it up well: “For many years the Bonanza had reigned supreme – no other airplane could match its performance. If an aircraft owner wanted to fly faster than his Piper Tri-Pacer or Cessna 182 could take him, he had only one choice. While he could be happy with his choice, Piper and Cessna certainly could not.”1
In the late 1950s and hot on the heels of its successful, light twin-engine PA-23 “Apache,” Piper executives decided to proceed with development of a single-engine airplane that would complement the Apache and provide the Lock Haven, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer with a second strong foothold in the marketplace. Designated PA-24 “Comanche,” the four-place airplane featured an all-metal airframe, retractable tricycle landing gear, a vertical stabilizer swept aft to increase aesthetics, and a stabilator for pitch control. In addition, the wing design took advantage of natural laminar flow to help achieve a projected cruise speed of 160 mph. By the time Piper’s Comanche made its first fight in the summer of 1956, Beech Aircraft had already sold thousands of Bonanzas and the latest version, the Model G35, was selling for $21,990 for a standard-equipped airplane.2
Piper began production of the Comanche in October 1957 for the 1958 model year. Powered by a Lycoming O-360-A1A, carbureted, four-cylinder, air-cooled piston engine and featuring a price tag of $14,500, the PA-24 was quickly embraced by pilots and sales soared. With a maximum speed of nearly 170 mph and a range of 750 statute miles, the new Piper proved to be a tempting alternative to the Bonanza and made selling the Model 35 more difficult.
Not to be outclassed by Piper and its Comanche, Cessna Aircraft, under the capable leadership of Dwane L. Wallace, introduced the high-performance Model 210 in August 1959 for the 1960 model year. Development had begun in 1956 and the first prototype flew in 1957 followed by a second airplane in 1959. The latest addition to Cessna’s ever-expanding product line was powered by a fuel-injected Continental engine rated at 260 horsepower, and the airplane was equipped with an electro-hydraulic, retractable tricycle landing gear that gave it a 20-mph speed advantage over the Model 182. Cessna built 577 of the Model 210 in 1960. A standard-equipped airplane carried a price tag of $22,450 compared with $25,300 for a 1960 Model M35 Bonanza (400 built), and about $17,000 for Piper’s PA-24-180.
Therefore, by 1959, the Bonanza had not one but two worthy competitors that possessed both high performance and cabin comfort at a lower acquisition cost. Although the Model 210 and the PA-24 were not equal to the Bonanza in every category, “they did join its class of performance and provided for the first time an opportunity for owners of Piper and Cessna airplanes to step up in brand.”3
In the face of intense competition, Beech Aircraft was for the first time in its history forced to compete on price without sacrificing quality, performance and overall value. It was decided to use “33” for the model number and, after considerable debate, the name “Debonair” was chosen for the new Beechcraft’s moniker. When the Model 33 was announced in 1959, Beech officials explained that the word was chosen not because of the modern definition contained in Webster’s dictionary, but was actually of old French origin.
Webster defines “Debonair” as someone or something that is jaunty, of good breed, affable and courteous. The French word the company chose, however, was from the medieval period and was derived from “De Bonne Aire.” During that time, the word was associated with a sportsman who trained special hunting hawks, and an exceptional bird was known as a De Bonne Aire (of a good air). Beech Aircraft management was optimistic that the Model 33, too, would also be “of a good air.”
The chief challenge was how to establish the Model 33’s price while retaining Beechcraft quality. The airplane also needed to look different than the Model 35, upon which it would be based, and the engine had to be of sufficient power and less expensive. As a result, the Debonair featured a standard empennage that would immediately set it apart from the Bonanza, a 225-horsepower Continental IO-470-J engine that was specifically designed for the Model 33 featuring a lower compression ratio and approval to burn 80/87 octane fuel. Finally, the price for a standard-equipped airplane would be $19,995 – slightly higher than the Comanche, but lower than a comparable Model 210.
To achieve that price, many of the Model 35’s deluxe features were made optional for the Model 33. Examples included a third cabin window, right side rudder pedals, clock, OAT gauge, sun visors, sensitive altimeter, indicator light for stall warning (no horn), and a fixed assist step for cabin entry/exit. In addition, overall exterior paint was an option. The standard scheme was limited to an accent stripe along the fuselage that carried upward along the vertical stabilizer.
As for performance, the four-place Model 33 had a maximum speed of 195 mph at sea level and a maximum gross weight of 2,900 pounds. Useful load was 1,170 pounds and range (standard, 50-gallon fuel tanks) was 845 statute miles with no reserve. Because the Model 33 was so similar to the Model M35 then in production, the FAA certificated the Debonair under the Bonanza’s approval 3A15. The official designation was Model 35-33.
When sales personnel perused the first production Debonairs, they were not impressed. They commented that the airplane, both inside and outside, was much too spartan and, according to some observers, even fell short of a standard Comanche and Model 210! They thought Beech had gone too far to make the Model 33 competitive on price, and at the expense of sales appeal. The only redeeming characteristic was the low price, but after an early surge in orders for the airplane, dealer interest rapidly declined. In short, it was hard to sell the Model 33, and for salesmen accustomed to the Bonanza’s quality, the humble Debonair was an ugly duckling and definitely not a “De Bonne Aire.”
Despite its lackluster appearance, utilitarian features and less than stellar sales, the Model 33 achieved a respectable production of 233 airplanes for the 1960 model year. Beech officials, however, listened closely to complaints from salesmen and a flood of planned upgrades for the 1961 model year promised to make the Debonair more worthy of its name.
The next version, designated Model 35-A33, received an overall paint scheme, sun visors, improved seat padding, wider, more colorful selection of fabrics, a chart box and a small hat shelf as standard equipment. These and other improvements, however, increased the price for a standard-equipped Debonair to $21,750. In addition, a new oil sump was installed on the Continental powerplant, changing its designation to IO-470-K.
Performance remained essentially the same as the Model 35-33 except for range, which increased to 1,160 statute miles with optional 70-gallon fuel tanks (840 miles with 50-gallon tanks). Maximum gross weight increased 100 pounds to 3,000 and useful load increased to 1,255 pounds. Beechcrafters manufactured 154 of the 35-A33 for the 1961 model year.
It is interesting to note that for the 1961 model year, Piper Aircraft records indicate that the Comanche was the best-selling airplane in its class. Piper officials claimed that the PA-24-180 captured 39.39 percent of the single-engine, retractable-gear high performance market, compared to 29.38 percent for the Model 35 Bonanza and the Debonair (combined) and 19.26 percent for Mooney Aircraft. Cessna’s Model 210 came in a distant fourth at 11.52 percent. These figures, however, clearly indicate that pilots had a wide range of choices and by the mid-1960s an increasing number opted to step up to a high-performance aircraft despite their higher prices.
In 1962, the 35-B33 Debonair received further upgrades as customers demanded more Bonanza-like appointments in the cabin. These included fuel quantity gauges that constantly displayed fuel level, new cabin interior sidewalls, provision for headrests on all four seats; front seat backs were adjustable in flight, and the stall warning light was replaced by a horn.
A few major changes also occurred, the most salient being installation of a new instrument panel deigned for the Model P35, and wing leading edge fuel tanks (80 gallons optional) installed in the production N35 Bonanza. To improve appearance, a small dorsal fillet was added to the vertical stabilizer. Production of the B33 continued from late 1961 through the 1964 model year, and a total of 426 airplanes were built. Price changed during those years from $21,750 to $23,500 in 1963-1964. By comparison, a 1964 Model S35 Bonanza cost $28,750 with standard equipment.
The next major upgrade to the Debonair occurred for the 1965-1967 model years when the 35-C33 inherited the Bonanza’s extended fuselage (19 inches). The optional third window was the same design as that of the N35 and P35, and the small fillet forward of the vertical stabilizer was replaced by a graceful dorsal fin.
Inside the cabin, the rear seats were mounted on adjustable tracks to match the front seats, and the rear seat backs were adjustable. Beech also offered four color combinations for exterior paint, and the Bonanza’s new, more streamlined cabin assist step was standard. The control wheel was redesigned, maximum gross weight increased 50 pounds, and various improvements to the heating/ventilation systems were made. The 35-C33 was the first Debonair to approach the Bonanza in appearance and interior appointments, and customers bought 305 of the much-improved Beechcraft.
Another major improvement came in 1966 when Beech engineers made the Continental IO-520-B engine standard on the Model 35-C33A Debonair, beginning in February. The six-cylinder powerplant developed 285 horsepower at 2,700 RPM, and both takeoff and maximum continuous power were the same. The cylinders featured nitrided barrels for improved durability, pistons were lubricated by squirting oil, and an oil filter was installed along with a decongealing oil radiator. The C33A also featured the new engine cradle used on the S35 that was canted downward two degrees and offset to the right two-and-a-half degrees to help reduce rudder forces during takeoff and climb.
The engine change was made to offer owners of older Debonairs the opportunity to trade their Beechcraft for one that was nearly equal to the new V35 Bonanza, thereby enjoying higher performance and overall value. Another reason was market-driven: The C33A would compete more favorably with the Piper PA-24-260, introduced in 1965, that featured a 260-horsepower Lycoming O-540-E4A5 engine.
To make the C33A stand out in a crowd, the airplane was given a unique paint scheme. The IO-520-B-powered C33A was manufactured for only two years, 1965-1966, and 179 of the airplanes were delivered. Initially the C33A was priced at $29,875, but increased to $31,000 beginning at serial number CE-134. The price of a 1967 V35 Bonanza with standard equipment was $32,500.4
By 1968. Beech Aircraft Cor-poration workers had built more than 1,000 of the Model 35-33 series Debonair, and management came to the realization that the company was marketing two versions of the same airplane. The Debonair was so similar to the Bonanza in every respect that the decision was made to drop the name “Debonair” and sell that airplane as a straight-tail Bonanza.
The Model E33 was the first to carry the new name, but still retained the 225-horsepower Continental IO-470 engine and 50-gallon standard fuel capacity that set it apart from the V35A. A third cabin window and the new “Speed Sweep” one-piece windshield were made standard. The E33 sold for a base price of $31,750, and 116 airplanes were manufactured during the 1968-1969 model years. A second version known as the E33A was available with the IO-520-B engine rated at 285 horsepower, and sold for $35,750. Only 79 were built.
In addition to the giving the customer a choice of engines, Beech engineers developed an aerobatic option for the Model E33 designated E33B and E33C. Both were certificated in the Acrobatic Category at a maximum gross weight of 2,800 pounds, or could operate in the Utility Category at a gross weight of 3,300 pounds. The airframes were reinforced for aerobatics, and during maneuvers only the front seats were occupied. A quick-release door was standard along with a G-meter, shoulder harnesses and a special fuel boost pump for inverted flight. The E33B/E33C were approved for inside loops, aileron and barrel rolls, Immelman turns, Cuban eights and split-S. Because of the limited appeal of these airplanes, customers preferred the 285-horsepower E33C, of which 25 were manufactured. No E33B models were built. Price of the E33C was $38,250.
The 1970 F33 Bonanza was a slightly refined E33 and was among the last of the short-fuselage 35-33 series. It sold for $34,150 but only 20 of F33 were built before production shifted to the F33A for the 1971 model year. Beech Aircraft offered a short- and long-fuselage option and 26 of the former were built compared with 34 of the latter. The 1971 F33A finally offered customers all of the V35B’s glamour, both inside and out, with the only difference being the empennage. Maximum speed was 208 mph while maximum gross weight was increased to 3,400 pounds. The short-cabin F33A sold for $38,150 and the longer edition cost $41,600.
It should be noted that in 1970 the company built five F33C aerobatic versions but none were produced for the 1971-1972 model years. In 1986, 23 F33C were built including 21 for the Mexican Air Force. Beginning in 1973, all of the F33A and F33C Bonanzas featured the longer fuselage. By the late 1980s the price of a Bonanza, regardless of which empennage a customer chose, had increased astronomically. For example, a 1987 F33C cost $184,500.
One other special version of the 35-33 series Bonanza is worthy of mention – the Model G33. Created for the 1972 model year, the G33 filled the gap left in the product line by the 1970 F33. The G33 featured a Continental IO-470-N engine rated at 260 horsepower at 2,625 RPM (same as the 1963 P35 Bonanza), and the all-new interior and instrument panel installed across the entire Bonanza product line. Priced at $41,450, only 50 of the rare G33 Beechcraft were built before production ended in 1973.
More than 1,250 of the Model 35-33 were built from 1960-1973. As of 2016, these sturdy and fast Beechcraft airplanes still are in demand and bring strong prices on the used aircraft market. The same is true of the V-tail Model 35 Bonanza series, of which 10,403 were built during a period of 35 years. Production ended in 1982.
Notes:
- Ball, Larry A.: “Those Incomparable Bonanzas;” McCormick-Armstrong Co., Inc., Wichita, Kansas, 1971.
- Phillips, Edward H.: “Piper – A Legend Aloft;” Flying Books International, Eagan, Minnesota, 1993.
- Ball, Larry A.: “Those Incomparable Bonanzas.”
- Ibid
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