Airtest-Beech 18

To be honest, I had half expected that my first foray in the type might represent something of a challenge. While I had previously flown double finned aircraft, radial taildraggers, heavy twins and warbirds I felt that a two-finned-radial radial-taildragger-heavy-piston-twin-warbird might turn out to be as much of a handful as it was a mouthful. But as I secretly suspected, despite its earthly foibles, this pristine machine soon won my heart. Although it required concentration on the ground, its performance was remarkable, its character unmistakable and in the air it was a true delight.

The C-45 is the military derivative of Walter Beech’s model 18, whose previous plane was the famous D-17 Staggerwing. In early 1935 Beech’s chief designer T A “Ted” Wells was briefed to produce a sturdy, up to date, all purpose twin executive transport, ‘mini-airliner, trainer and bushplane to convey eight people in comfort and at speed between the small grass airfields abounding in pre war America. His new machine was a complete departure from the steel tube and fabric biplanes they had hitherto built, incorporating the then advanced features of all aluminium semi monocoque construction, retractable undercarriage and variable pitch (later fully feathering) propellers.

The prototype first flew on January 15 1937 in the hands of TWA captain James Peyton and Beech’s test pilot H C “Ding” Rankin (who incredibly had never before flown a twin). Subsequent flying was undertaken by another TWA pilot, Jack Thornburg, often quoted as saying “It is the greatest aeroplane of its kind I have ever flown”. The introduction of such a radical (and expensive) design so soon after the Depression, by a company in existence for barely three years, represented an enormous gamble. Luckily, after a hesitant start to sales, the speculation paid off for the Beech 18 to become the best selling light twin ever, 9389 new and remanufactured units being produced over a third of a century. Longer even than the enduring Dakota. With its military counterpart, the C-45 Expeditor, it served in as many as thirty different air forces and the last left the production line in November 1969.

Anthony Hodgson’s Southern Comfort G-BSZC (ex-N9541Z), first built in 1940, was remanufactured like 2262 others in November 1952 to C-45H standard with wing centre section reinforcement, Hamilton-Standard Hydromatic fully feathering propellers, longer nacelles, new instruments and avionics, tougher undercarriage, stronger wheels and disc brakes. Used as a USAF Strategic Air Command communications transport, it went into storage in 1958 to be disposed of as surplus with only 1900 hours in 1963. In 1986 it was bought, overhauled and partly restored by Lt Col Blake “Crash” Thomas who sold the now 2400 hour machine to Anthony three years later, ferrying it across the Atlantic via Northern Canada, Greenland and Iceland in November 1990. This flight was something of an epic, the crew listing among their tribulations constant oil dribbles, a slipstream damaged HF aerial, 25 knot (46kmh) crosswinds, weeping fuel selectors, a burned out starter mo- tor, seeping fuel check valves, persistent starting problems, failed primer solenoid valves, temperatures down to minus 27 degrees Celsius (on the ground), 45 degree magnetic variation and airframe icing. Possibly the most serious problem was intake ice that could only be cleared by forcing the engines to backfire after going around from a PAR into whited out snowy Sondestrom. On top of this, because of an undetected split oil cooler, in nearly thirty flying hours over twelve days the engines used more than 220 litres of oil! On taking possession Anthony understandably commissioned a comprehensive overhaul and further restoration work, including replacement of the previous rather simplistic nose art with a lovely Vargas like Southern Belle. During this refurbishment Anthony’s team discovered that the machine’s mirror finish takes five people up to six hours of labour intensive polishing, which has to be repeated six or seven times a year to maintain the dazzling lustre. No wonder they looked askance at a threatening sky as I arrived for my introductory flight. After some discussion Anthony decided to risk an unwanted extra day’s burnishing and hitched his Range Rover to a purpose made yoke to haul the great gleaming 2890kg (6370 pound) twin from the hangar it shares with a Staggerwing, Stearman, Harvard and Pacer on to the grass of his airstrip.

Compared to a modern eight seat twin the Beech is quite a monster. Standing beside an engine one’s eyes barely reach the fat leading edge. The wing centre section is built around a hefty steel tube truss incorporating the engine mounts and carrying the main gear legs (which can ‘walk’ slightly fore and aft while taxying to avert spar damage). The beefy structure and simple but strong retraction mechanism can be seen surrounding the massive 36 litre (eight gallon) oil tanks by kneeling and peering up into the wheel wells.

Yet despite its apparent strength (and perhaps partly due to carrying prodigious loads because it lacks a statutory maximum takeoff weight in the States) there were some structural failures after the war. So an Airworthiness Directive required attachment of long heavy external steel underwing straps after 2500 hours. This mod was fitted to AF258 some years ago and is clearly visible below the inner wings. The de-icing boots were removed at the same time to prevent corrosion behind them (another common problem). All control surfaces are fabric covered, the ailerons having absolutely no differential movement although they do have a simple Frise like shape. The electric split flaps droop almost to the ground when fully extended to 45 degrees and their leading edges have metal protection strips.

The nine cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-985s have traditional petal like annular cowl flaps, big twin unfiltered air intakes in the lower cowlings and oil cooler inlets in the forward extended wing roots (which also house the four main fuel tanks and five underbelly drains). Below the forward fuselage are a prominent pair of pitot heads, while the nose cone lifts to reveal a baggage area with two more interconnected auxiliary tanks holding 178 litres (47 US gals) between them. The weight of fuel in these must be subtracted from the compartment’s 270kg (600lb) baggage allowance. Further aft the tailwheel is also retractable but, like the mains, part of its circumference remains protruding in case both electrical and manual means of extension fail.

A rather unsubstantial pin locks this freely pirouetting wheel fore and aft for takeoff. Bearing in mind the ground handling this most important component should be true and free. While the wide fabric elevator has lots of area, plenty of travel and two trim tabs, the much smaller rudders only move through a tiny angle, the left one having an unusually broad chord tab. I presumed the engines’ wakes made them adequate.

Climbing up the steps in the neat, non standard, chain supported drop down door we saw an authentic USAAC uni- form, Confederate ensign and Stars and Stripes in the rather cramped aft chemical toilet and stowage area. There are three rather utilitarian military beige and brown seats on the right, with a left side bench triple beneath a trio of wide picture windows each side. Clambering forward, somewhat stooped, up the floor’s pronounced slope I noticed individually named headsets for Anthony’s wife Karen and children Lucie and Alex hanging over each, underlining his description of the machine as “For fun, family transport and occasional displays”.

At the front the main spar carry through obstructs the lower half of the doorway dividing cockpit from cabin but, if the passenger compartment is light and airy, the cockpit is like a greenhouse. The deep panoramic multi-paned windscreen has sliding side panels, a hinged quarter light and neat eyebrow windows, allowing an excellent view above and all around.

On the coaming a blue baseball cap sported the same title Beech belle as the nose outside. The black panel is not original ‘Forties but a well laid out rework with a full set of flying instruments for each pilot divided by the radio stack and engine dials. Top centre on the captain’s side are two big red feathering buttons. In the once traditional Beech format, pitch con- trols are on the left with throttles in the middle and mixture levers to their right ahead of a complex centre console. Trained on Barons, I have no trouble with this now non standard layout. The adjustable seats have good military four point harnesses incorporating lockable inertia reel shoulder straps. The con- trol wheels, cantilevered on big beams hinged from the floor alongside the outboard cockpit wall, have a very long fore and aft travel.

Anthony had turned the props over half a dozen compressions during the walk round to ensure no oil or fuel was trapped in a lower cylinder to cause fluid lock and cylinder head or connecting rod damage. His engines are christened Stumpy and Thumper because they have distinct characters. We fired up 600 hour old Thumper (the right engine) first, because, being older, it is generally the more reluctant of the pair, and with one 15 litre, open exhaust radial running just a few feet away it is impossible to hear what the other is doing. Selecting both engine fuel feeds to their respective forward main tanks you energise the master and generator switches and turn the right magnetos on.

Switching the starter system master on the left lower sub panel to right you lift the little spring loaded cover over the three buttons controlling booster coil, starter and primer for the selected engine. Ensuring the props were fully fine and mixtures rich, we cracked open the throttle and pressed all three buttons together.

The powerful electric starter quickly turned the big polished propeller through several revolutions until a quietly muffled thump in the background was followed by another and, accompanied by a cloud of blue grey smoke swirling from the eight inch exhaust stacks over the flattening grass behind us, a steadily rising soft rumbling began to emanate from deep within the cowlings. You have to hold all three buttons down folk smartly pirouette to face backwards. Just like a supermarket trolley. Resigned to its vagaries I contented myself with tracking approximately in the direction of the threshold atop the hill. Upon arrival we turned into wind and completed the run up checks of magnetos, prop pitch, carb heaters and feathering buttons to the accompaniment of swirling streamers of vapour from the propeller tips in the moist, drizzly air. Setting 15 degrees of flap and finishing the pretakeoff checks I lined up, aimed for a ragged gap in the far hedge, and completed that final and most important vital action-locking the tailwheel.

Anthony’s 820 metre airstrip is little more than a pair of big, hummocky sheep paddocks united by the removal of their dividing fence and, sloping prodigiously downhill through over 45 metres (150ft) from west to east, would be a challenging base for many a lightplane, let alone a heavy, high wing loading warbird. Acutely aware of the twenty knot cross tail wind blowing from our port quarter (US quoted maximum takeoff crosswind component is 25 knots [46kmh]) and pre-warned that there is little rudder effect below 30kt (56kmh), I held the wheel hard back in my lap and gently eased the throttles forward, leading slightly with the left one to anticipate any leftward swing as we set off down the hill.

Mindful of the ease with which these supercharged engines can be damaged by opening up too fast or too far, I let Anthony trim up full power at 361⁄2 inches and 2300rpm while I concentrated, wide eyed, on keeping absolutely straight. To my slight surprise, this was no problem. As 900 combined horses smoothly bellowed we accelerated remarkably quickly considering our weight of around 3700kg (8140lb) of a maximum of 3970kg (8750lb) with three of us aboard and 757 (200) of the available 954 litres (252 US gallons) of fuel. The aeroplane bounded over the undulating ground in its three point attitude, the ‘walking’ undercarriage absorbing the bumps very well. At around 35kt (64kmh) IAS I was able to raise the tail (still with no directional problems) and speed quickly increased to 56kt (105kmh) when I heaved her off to reduce the hammering on the gear after rolling only 300 metres.

Now there was a pause as the engines roared on and we maintained height at ten feet (three metres) or so, the tall trees on the far boundary rapidly growing in the windscreen, to gain the vital Vmca of 79kt (148kmh) – below which the machine cannot be held straight in the event of engine failure. At 82kts (153kmh) Anthony retracted the wheels and they whisked away noiselessly in four seconds, without trim change or any other sign of their disappearance except for their counterparts vanishing from the windows of the charming pictorial representation on the plane, to be replaced momentarily byin transit cross hatches then the words up.

the treeswe throttled back to30 inches and 2100rpm for flap retraction, then further reduced rpm to 2000 for the climb at best rate speed of 104kt (193kmh), indicating just under 1000ft (305m) per minute. Flap retraction caused only the slightest nose up pitch change, easily counteracted with the big wheel on the side of my seat, so I settled down to enjoy Southern Comfort’s exceptional visibility and discover her personality.

One can immediately sense her era from her handling, while positively stable in all axes and although with fairly heavy controls, especially at speed, she nevertheless exhibits a liveliness and response that only occurs in pre war or military machines. Modern civil types have had most possible vices and undesirable traits removed – and with them many of the pleasures and challenges of flight – but these older designs require some skill to fly properly, and abuse reveals their character flaws.

Levelling at 2000ft (610m) under the murky overcast, we headed towards an unexpected patch of sunlight over the sea and I found that at a gentle 25 inches and 1800rpm the Beech hummed along happily at a useful 130kt (241kt) IAS. At this for quite a while until the slowly increasing rpm reached self sustaining speed, when the starter can be released.

On a cold day it is as well to keep giving squirts to prime and to hold down the booster coil button for a big fat spark until engine is definitely running smoothly unassisted. At this stage it is vital to treat it gently, any attempt to hurry it by opening the throttle will only result in a resounding report and instantaneous- ous loss of rpm as it backfires, shaking the airframe and sending a gout of acrid grey smoke up through the right windscreen demister vent.

Having coaxed the temperamental Thumper into life the 400 hour Stumpy was rather easier to start but still slow to achieve its 800rpm idle. With both motors running smoothly the aeroplane took on true life, vibrating to the fluffing, hissing, thrumming rumble of their low melodic bass and the flash of two slowly scything propellers as they gradually warmed up, surprisingly quiet and subdued considering their proximity just outside our open side windows. It takes five minutes for the oil to thin enough to increase power above idle so we used this time to don our headsets, establish communication with the passengers through the multiple socket intercom and switch on and test all instruments and systems including the flaps.

Once the engines were warm, after checking the disengagement of the tailwheel lock I could discover this shiny beast’s true character. Pleased to see that, thanks to the long sloping windscreen panels, the way ahead was only slightly obscured by the nose, a moment’s reflection on the lack of direct steering suggested some caution. The tailwheel swivels as freely as a furniture castor, the twin rudders have an extremely restricted travel and of course that manual cautions against excessive brake use. Carefully advancing the throttles I coaxed the big machine into a gentle, cautious advance, leading with the left engine to veer away from Anthony’s Harvard ahead of us. Having soon curved away I opened up the right engine and, sure enough, we swung left again.

Gaining confidence as our speed increased, I levelled the throttles to obtain a good, positive rumble from both motors- assuming that we would thus proceed in a straight line. But I was in for a disappointment. Although the rudders do have some effect in the slipstream, that rear castor has absolutely no desire to self-centre so, without care, the machine can quickly assume the vagaries of an over loaded supermarket trolley.

The solution is to anticipate, keep the speed down and allow plenty of roomsince, rather than controlling the Beech you are really only able to influence its progress. Murmuring encouraging noises, Anthony mentioned that on tarmac he has seen speed Anthony reckons to burn 76 litres (20 US gallons) per engine per hour, this approximation allowing five hours safe flying with a 90 litre (20 gallon) reserve. Twenty eight inches and 2000rpm will give a faster 148kt (273kmh) and at the max continuous power of 311⁄2 inches and 2060rpm speed increases slightly but total consumption is a prodigal 264 litres per hour (58gph).

Bursting into the sunshine we again increased power to climb over the stratus into the clear smooth air above. One facet of the Beech’s nature different from a modern twin is the need to monitor the ancillary gaugesall the time, making minor adjustments to mixtures, carb heaters, cowl flap position and oil cooler shutter doors with every change in height, speed or power. Up here, as sunlight streamed through the screens, the heater was no longer needed and as much cool air as necessary was available through the vents. Removing my headset I was not surprised to find the noise level pretty high in the cockpit between the engines and still a little obtrusive even in the cabin, but of course the C-45 was a military machine with few concessions to sissy civilian comforts, despite this ship’s name. A gentle warm vibrance throughout the airframe reminds of the aircraft’s radial engines while the undefinable aroma of vintage warbird pervades the atmosphere.

Quickly growing to love this wonderful old craft I found that gently lifting the nose to lose ten knots led to a slow ten second phugoid which appeared unlikely to damp out quickly, while both roll and yaw stability seemed quite positive. Turning left and right the visibility was extremely good even at 45 degrees of bank, when the back pressure needed to maintain height became more noticeable. However map reading on a cross country might be a little more difficult than expected because those portly matt black engine nacelles are so near the fuselage that they tend to obscure the ground closer than a couple of klicks ahead.

Slowing down, the control forces became lighter and the aeroplane started to feel rather less settled. The clean stall occurred at 67kt (125kmh) with the nose around five degrees above the horizon and quite a lot of aft stick. It was preceded by plenty of warning buffet at 72kt (133kmh) in almost 1000fpm (306mpm) sink. As would be expected from the NACA 23000 section, the break was fairly sharp and we lost 200ft (61m) in the recovery. Fifteen degrees of flap made surprisingly little difference to our stall speed although it did lower the nose attitude somewhat. Roll control with flaps out seemed rather sloppier. Full flap caused a noticeable deceleration when the throttles were closed and induced a real ten degree left wing drop, again at just under 65kt (120kmh). Handling at the bottom of the speed range was noticeably degraded and sloppy, the aircraft seeming generally less stable and rather unhappy. Stalling clean with half power meant raising the nose rather higher to about ten degrees up and, while the Beech felt better and more controllable down to the stall, the g-break at 61kt (113kmh) was very positive and she assertively rolled away to the left. Many later examples of the civilian Beech 18 had square wing tip extensions with considerable washout and I suspect that these were to prevent this tendency to a forthright wing drop.

Although the comprehensive flight handbook includes a table of stall speeds and a recognition chart of seven different sorts of engine fire, it quotes only one safe single engine speed or Vmca of 80kt (148kmh), for max weight with gear and flaps still extended and the sick prop windmilling. With Thumper thundering away flat out and the more critical Stumpy loping along at zero thrust I had no difficulty in maintaining control at well below 78kt (145kmh) with less than full rudder and a little bank into the live engine. The foot force was not unreasonable and could easily be trimmed out with the roof mounted crank. Where things were a little tricky, however, was in maintaining a positive rate of climb. Ensuring we were properly cleaned up and jiggling oil coolers and cowl flaps I eventually coaxed about a hundred feet per minute out of the thing at the single engine best rate (“blue-line”) speed of 98kt (182kmh). We were more than 270kg (600lb) below MTOW so I suspect a single engine climb out after a real failure would be exciting although the book quotes 200fpm (92mpm) for a new aircraft, all cleaned up, at sea level, ISA and MTOW.

Back at base the suggested circuit speed is 104kt (193kmh), using 21 inches and 2000rpm but I found you have to handle her carefully and add power in the turns if she is not to sag a hundred feet with each ninety degree heading change. With those wide deep side windows you can keep the threshold in sight practically all the time, even in a right hand circuit. Giving ourselves plenty of room, I turned final at 800ft (244m) and set up a steady descent at 90kts (167kmh) with gear, full flap and a little over 20 inches at full rpm, carefully controlling the sink withpower. The attitude was near level but the view ahead was still good. Checking three little wheels in the undercarriage indicator’s window and all levers but the throttles fully for- ward, Icon Iconcentrated on aiming for the same gap in the trees we had used on takeoff, only this time we had a decent headwind component and were landing uphill although there was still a considerable crosswind.

Opinions vary as to whether you should generally land a C-45 on main wheels only or in the three point attitude. I normally make a ‘wheeler’ landing, particularly on tarmac or in a cross- wind, but this uses up a lot of distance and I know that, with most of its mass aft of the main wheels, the very time a Beech will become a bitch is when the tail is lowered towards the end of the roll. Anthony solved my quandary by announcing that I should three point it in view of the restricted space available. Letting the speed bleed down to 85kts over the trees and closing the throttles as we neared the ground, I eased the wheel back, and back, and back until it was squashed into my stomach and the nose was high in the air with the speed dropping off the clock. The machine showed its high wing loading with a very short float and dropped to the ground, its 20cm (eight inch) travel oleos nicely cushioning the contact. Quickly pressing on the heavy brakes I found no tendency to veer and we stopped amazingly short in little less than two hundred metres.

Once upon a time I drank quite a lot of Southern Comfort but, strong though that liquor is, I never found it as intoxicating as flying its namesake which has an altogether headier effect. The machine possesses that indefinable something, most usually found in pre-war aircraft, that we can only sum up as character. As well as being an interesting vintage warbird, with its short field capability and decent range it is a very handy family transport. There are still several in Australia and they are popular airshow attractions.

Anthony has certainly prepared carefully and, with uni- forms, flags and other props, his will be an interesting act. If these and the nose art do not turn the audience’s heads you can be sure the sound of those other props- the ones on Stumpy and Thumper-will.

If you do see a Beech C-45 at a UK display, don’t take your eyes off the aeroplane once she has landed. From my experience, simply watching it taxi back to the ramp might be good value too.