Page 28 - March 2022

Olive Ann Beech, the aircraft company’s co-founder with her husband Walter, stands with a U.S. Army UC-43 at the factory in 1943. The Model 17 served with American and Allied forces during the war, chiefly as a liaison, pathfinder and VIP transport. Throughout the war years, Mrs. Beech played an increasingly important role in the company’s operation. (Special Collections and University Archives, Wichita State University Libraries)
to 50,000 square feet. In addition, the airfield itself was enlarged by 320 acres and the north-south runway lengthened to 5,000 feet. As the workforce exploded by thousands of people from 1942-1944, the company built 412 C/UC-43 and GB-2 biplanes. Although the Army Air Forces and the Navy accepted 270 of these airplanes, many were assigned to Allied nations. For example, the Royal Air Force received 105 airplanes, including 74 that were assigned to the Fleet Air Arm air stations for VIP transport duties. These Beechcrafts were designated Traveller Mk. 1. Another 122 GB-2s were accepted by the Navy and the Brazilian government acquired the 20 airplanes for its air force.
It is interesting to note that May 29, 1943, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the S.S. Agurmonte off Cape Province, South Africa. The cargo vessel was carrying 12 Traveller Mk. 1s that were destined for British air bases in the Middle East region. The British did, however, operate six Traveller Mk. 1 biplanes on reconnaissance missions
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26 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
MARCH 2022