Page 28 - Volume 11 Number 4

The F33A Bonanza was offered in two versions: short
or long fuselage. The short-fuselage Model F33A was built only in 1970, and long-fuselage version in 1971, with 26 and 34 airplanes manufactured, respectively. The long-fuselage version cost $41,600. (WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES)
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
APRIL 2017
26 • KING AIR MAGAZINE