Aerobatics in Beech 18. Yikes!

[earl1937]

Yep.  Early on was the "Bamboo Bomber" or Cessna T-50, later it was a Cessna 310.

The T-50 and the Cessna 310 were two completely different aircraft. The T-50 had a Jacobs R-755-9, 7 cylinder, radial engine and could cruise at 175MPH. Air Force designate UC-78 and also AT-17 depending on what its use.


The Cessna 310D was the original 310 series and had two Continental 0-470-B, Opposed engines and cruise speed was 210MPH.


One of the most popular twin engine aircraft in general aviation was the 310K, which could cruise at 220MPH and had slanted flared tip tanks.


I had 1.5 hours in T-50, test hop after annual and re-furbished by Hill aircraft and leasing, Atlanta, Ga. I have several hundred hours in the 310 aircraft, as most flight schools around Atlanta used them for multi-engine training.

The T-50 was owned by a Lockheed Test pilot and later was destroyed in a wind storm at McCollum airport in Kennasaw, Ga, I think it was 1983.

[BuckShot]

Awesome video!

Any idea why Beech went with that rudder config?

[earl1937]

Awesome video!

Any idea why Beech went with that rudder config?

I heard that question asked at a dinner one night in Atlanta, honoring Mrs Beech! When the aircraft was designed back in the day, most hangars back then where not high enough to accommodate The "Twin Beech" with a nose wheel, which were in the Beech aircraft companies plans and they later came out with a model called the "Super H Twin Beech", and a single rudder and vertical stab would extend to high for the hangars of that day and time. Not sure if that was correct, but what I heard.

[colmbo]

Not sure of the why, but having twin rudders keeps them in the prop blast with increases their effectiveness.

[BuckShot]

Makes sense. Thanks Columbo.

"and ahh..one more thing sir." I watch Columbo every weekend.

[BuckShot]

I heard that question asked at a dinner one night in Atlanta, honoring Mrs Beech! When the aircraft was designed back in the day, most hangars back then where not high enough to accommodate The "Twin Beech" with a nose wheel, which were in the Beech aircraft companies plans and they later came out with a model called the "Super H Twin Beech", and a single rudder and vertical stab would extend to high for the hangars of that day and time. Not sure if that was correct, but what I heard.

Thanks Earl

~S~ Buck

[earl1937]

Not sure of the why, but having twin rudders keeps them in the prop blast with increases their effectiveness.

Just thinking out loud, but with the twin rudders, off set from the center line of the fuselage would lower the VMC because of the leverage and effectiveness. I would also suspect that with twin rudders, it would be a little faster. I recall a mod call Beech "Trade wind" I think it was called, it had a single veridical stab and rudder.

This was not a particular good conversion, I think if I remember right, only 14 were built.

Does anyone see the similarly between this "Tradewind" and the Beechcraft "Queenair" which was so popular during the 50's?

[Nath[BDP]]

Gnar gnar

[Hetzer7]

Heres 555WS, a Beech 18 I worked on for years, now under new ownership:

[LilMak]

Saw him fly Saturday. Flew about 50ft over my camping spot @ Sun-N-Fun with smoke on. It was IMC for about a minute. Sadly I didn't have my camera. Battery was dead.