Page 29 - March 2015 Volume 9, Number 3

on new Model 17 Beechcrafts is rather unpredictable.” Occasionally enough parts could be scraped together to build one commercial Model 17 and complete an order. In another letter Wooten wrote: “We have two, new [Pratt & Whitney] “Wasp” engines available that could be installed in D17S fuselages already built up,” but he added the caveat that delivery could not be made before “60-70 days after receipt of a firm order.” Every commercial sale, however, depended entirely on whether the United States Defense Commission, whose chief focus was the production of warplanes, approved construction and released critical materials.
Walter Beech sympathized with impatient salesmen who had signed orders in hand for new airplanes that he realized probably would never be built. In an effort to ease the tension, the factory did offer to install used radial engines with only 30-40 hours total time since new, thereby reducing delivery time to about 40 days. That initiative did little to resolve the problem. Faced with the reality that new Beechcrafts had become almost impossible to obtain, early in 1941 the company instituted a “Used Plane Exchange” program that brought salesmen and customers together through a listing of used Beechcraft airplanes available for sale. The program was intended not only to support sales but also to “keep an open channel toward further business in the future,” according to Mr. Beech.
During the four years following the Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise attack on American naval forces at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, Beech Aircraft Corporation manufactured more than 7,000 airplanes for Allied military forces. A majority of these were variants of the Model 18 “Twin Beech,” but a few hundred Model 17 biplanes also served with distinction throughout the conflict. From January 1934 until December 31, 1941, the company sold 84 airplanes to customers in foreign countries, thanks to an effective network of sales agents and dealerships. These agencies helped Walter Beech gain a firm marketing foothold around the world, particularly in Latin and South America that as of 2014 still boast some of the most loyal Beechcraft customers. Other regions include Asia, China, Western Europe and the Pacific Rim.
The recent acquisition of Beechcraft Corporation by Cessna Aircraft Company parent Textron will greatly expand the potential for sales of the King Air series for private, business and special mission applications. KA
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.
MARCH 2015
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