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a better view of the sky and the earth below. Pratt & Whitney R-985 engines turning three-blade Hartzell constant-speed propellers was a feature of the G18S. A total of 154 airplanes were built from 1959-1963 when the final version of the venerable Model 18 took to the air.
The year 1962 marked the 25th year of consecutive production of the legendary Beechcraft Model 18. In August, Beech Aircraft Corporation unveiled the Super H18 featuring a maximum gross weight of 9,900 pounds, a useful load of more than 4,200 pounds (the highest for any version of the Model 18), and a speed of 236 mph. Other key changes centered on the main landing gear struts that featured a forged, heat treated half-fork assembly instead of the full-fork design, and the adoption of smaller 8.50 x 10 wheels and tires. The H18S also featured electrically-operated cowl flaps and for the first time in any Model 18, air conditioning was available.
In 1963, the H18S was available with a choice of landing gear configurations, either standard, conventional-gear or a tricycle design developed by Volpar. The latter eventually became standard chiefly because a majority of customers preferred a tricycle gear. In November 1969, Japan Air Lines took delivery of the last three production Super H18s that were employed as multi-engine
trainers. The limited number
of H18s built (149) was a sign
of the times. The introduction
of lightweight, powerful and
reliable turboprop engines such
as the revolutionary PT6 series
developed by Pratt & Whitney
Canada hastened the demise of
static, air-cooled radial engines
(and to a lesser extent, some
opposed piston engines). More
importantly, Olive Ann Beech
had decreed that two PT6 en-
gines be mated to a Queen Air
airframe for flight testing. Her
decision ultimately paved the
way for introduction of the
Model 90 King Air.
Ted Wells’ classic Beechcraft Model 18 was more than an icon- ic executive transport. It served with distinction in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, and under the care of private owners and museums, will continue to roar through the skies for years to come. KA
NOTES:
1. As of 2015, the R-985 is still in plentiful supply and pow-
ers not only versions of the venerable Beechcraft Model
18, but a variety of other antique and classic aircraft. 2. Parmerter, Robert K.: “Beech 18—A Civil and Military History;” The Staggerwing Museum Foundation, Inc., Twin Beech Society, a division of the Staggerwing
Museum Foundation, Inc.; 2004.
3. Parmerter, Robert K: “Beech 18—A Civil and Military
History;” The Staggerwing Museum Foundation, Inc., Twin Beech Society, a division of the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, Inc.; 2004. The Model 18S was available with Jacobs or Wright Aeronautical radial engines, but an only limited number of airframes were built with these powerplants.
4. According to “The Official Guide to the Army Air Forces,” the Army Air Forces was created on June 20, 1941, to coordinate the activities of the Air Force Combat Command and the Office of the Chief of the Air Corps.
About the Author: Ed Phillips, now retired and living in the South, has researched and written eight books on the unique and rich aviation history that belongs to Wichita, Kan. His writings have focused on the evolution of the airplanes, companies and people that have made Wichita the “Air Capital of the World” for more than 80 years.
DECEMBER 2015
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 31