This flew by a bit ago - Not a Beech 18 but a Lockheed Electra, see article

[Gliderjohn]

Appears to be a beautiful Beech 18. Heard the sound and grabbed the camera.


http://www.thekansan.com/article/20150329/NEWS/150329361

GliderJohn

[MotoGoosy]

Amelia is alive!!!!!!!!!!!

[ohiorider]

Amelia is alive!!!!!!!!!!!

What I thought!  I think Amelia's plane was a Lockheed Electra (or was it a Vega?) but it reminds one of that historical plane.  Thanks for posting GliderJohn.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Lockheed. She was a terrible pilot, btw..  ~;

[Chuck in Indiana]

Those are lovely fliers. Light and delicate on the controls. You wouldn't think so by looking at them, but they're sweet.. ;-T

[charlie b]

Cause you watched the movie?  :D  :D  :D

Twin Beech's are neat planes.

I used to feel sad every time I would drive by the Globe, AZ airport.  There was a twin beech that got parked there in the 60's.  Over time more and more stuff was taken off of it until only a partial fuselage was left.  Sad.

[oldbike54]

Cause you watched the movie?  :D  :D  :D

Twin Beech's are neat planes.

 There was a movie  ??? Gotta get out more  :D

  Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from oldbike54:

Great pic John , does Beechcraft still have a facility in Wichita , and could there be a connection ?

They are still produced in Wichita but owned by Textron which also owns Cessna now. They still seem to turn out good aircraft but it is not like the old days of Walter and Olive Ann Beech when they supposedly knew most of their employees by sight and name. Both were quite interesting folk from what I have heard and read. Would love to have a Staggerwing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Model_17_Staggerwing
GliderJohn

[LowRyter]

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?s-type=aircraft&make=Beechcraft&model_group=Beech+18+Series&s-seq=4&s-lvl=0

here ya go:  $90k - $360k............  $18k for a Basket case <shrug>   (Chuck?  ~; ~; ~; ~; ~; ~; ~;) 

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from oldbike54:

Beech made some beautiful A/C , that one is lovely . Any idea what one in service condition is worth now ?

No, not without researching it but I would guess multiple times more than I could afford plus I would guess operating costs are fairly high. The one I pictured looks to be in excellent condition so I would guess top dollar.
GliderJohn

[Spuddy]

Great picture. I like how you captured the props...

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from Spuddy:

Great picture. I like how you captured the props...

I recently bought my first SLR camera. I was using a 300mm lens along with digital zoom. The camera was set on auto, so nothing I did. Just scratching the surface on learning how to use this thing.
GliderJohn

[oldbike54]

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?s-type=aircraft&make=Beechcraft&model_group=Beech+18+Series&s-seq=4&s-lvl=0

here ya go:  $90k - $360k............  $18k for a Basket case <shrug>   (Chuck?  ~; ~; ~; ~; ~; ~; ~;) 

 If you have ask  ;D  Actually the question was re the stagger wing bi plane . Although showing up at a camp out in a Beech 18 would make a splash  :D
  Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

Caught these with my 8 year old pocket point and shoot.





GliderJohn

[rboe]

way back in the day when I was in A&P school several of the students were pilots. We rented a plane in morning, flew to LaCrosse Wi. On the way back to Winona a Beech 18 was traveling east at a high closing speed. She had been converted to turbines. Oh what a site, close, fast and quiet. It made an impression on me.

[1Sourdough]

Quote from oldbike54:
They are still produced in Wichita but owned by Textron which also owns Cessna now. They still seem to turn out good aircraft but it is not like the old days of Walter and Olive Ann Beech when they supposedly knew most of their employees by sight and name. Both were quite interesting folk from what I have heard and read. Would love to have a Staggerwing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Model_17_Staggerwing
GliderJohn

I think most sane people would love to have a Staggerwing.  I keep thinking the Army will discover a stash of them left from WW2 one of these days and stage a surplus sale complete with brawls and all sorts of fun!

[krglorioso]

I had a 1968 Beech "Musketeer 150" from 1973-75 when I lived in walking distance to Santa Monica Airport.  I think Amelia (who by all accounts WAS a lousy pilot) first flew her Kinner "Canary" from this airport when it was called "Clover Field).  My Beech Musketeer  was much like a Guzzi of the day; not fast but very sturdy, comfortable and reliable.  It was a dandy plane, but was not of sufficient power or IFR capability to be flown in the Los Angeles area. 

Ralph

[Crusty]

Appears to be a beautiful Beech 18. Heard the sound and grabbed the camera.


GliderJohn

"Victor Laszlo is on that plane!"

[Chuck in Indiana]

I think most sane people would love to have a Staggerwing.  I keep thinking the Army will discover a stash of them left from WW2 one of these days and stage a surplus sale complete with brawls and all sorts of fun!

Back in the day, I thought when I hit the big time, I'd rebuild a Staggerwing. I could have my traveling airplane and antique all in one ship. Then, I saw one uncovered, saw the miles of bicycle chain and brazillion parts that make one up, thought, "Never mind.."  ;D
Now, fuel cost has me almost out of flying, not to mention what a 450 Pratt would burn.

[Daniel Kalal]

Appears to be a beautiful Beech 18.

John, as you likely know, there are a few 18s based out of Dead Cow International.  For many years, there was a daily run in the evening by an 18 coming from the west--I believe it was a check-hauling airplane.  Considering that people don't write so many checks anymore,  I'm not so sure if that flight is still happening.

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from Daniel Kalal:

John, as you likely know, there are a few 18s based out of Dead Cow International.  For many years, there was a daily run in the evening by an 18 coming from the west--I believe it was a check-hauling airplane.  Considering that people don't write so many checks anymore,  I'm not so sure if that flight is still happening.

Kind of surprised someone would use an 18 for that job as I would think there would be other aircraft that would be considerably more efficient, but it would be doing it with class.
I live just six mile north and a mile west of the Newton airport and a lot of aircraft use it for touch and goes and other training purposes as the 18 I photographed made several pattern runs. Had not seen that specific one before and it looks showroom perfect. Don't know if it was from the Wichita area. Love observing them all when I am working outside.
GliderJohn

[Daniel Kalal]

Quote from Daniel Kalal:
Kind of surprised someone would use an 18 for that job as...

Yeah, but Beech made many thousands of those things up until around 1970 so the entry price wouldn't be that high for a scruffy one with time left on the engines.  Compared to a new 208, the 18 might be your cheap route into the light cargo business.

[Gliderjohn]

Good point Daniel as you could by a lot fuel and oil for the purchase price difference plus the 18 sounds so much nicer than a 208 would. ;D
GliderJohn

[dilligaf]

This on is on floats in Campbell River, BC.

 :BEER:
Matt

[quota2000]

Back in the day, I thought when I hit the big time, I'd rebuild a Staggerwing. I could have my traveling airplane and antique all in one ship. Then, I saw one uncovered, saw the miles of bicycle chain and brazillion parts that make one up, thought, "Never mind.."  ;D
Now, fuel cost has me almost out of flying, not to mention what a 450 Pratt would burn.

That is why you need one of these:  http://griffonaerospace.com/uav-systems/lionheart/#!prettyPhoto

Takes all of the "miles of bicycle chain and brazillion parts" AND the struts out of the equation!!!  You would however, still need to figure out how to afford the fuel....  ;D

Regards,

Jeff

[acogoff]

     yes, about 1958-1960 they used to haul checks when they were a cheap outfit. Purchase price was cheap with worn out R985s. The check flying contractors would buy up a few of these worn out wonders and hire kids who were building time to fly them. Several pilots met a bad end in these things. Just like now it is all about cutting corners to make a buck. Then they got hit with the AD note where they had to have their main spar X-rayed every so often and that cost put them out of the air cash flow wise. I know of one around the Selkirk Manitoba area on floats that is still in use. Can't see how they can make any money with it unless the Canadian government is subsidizing them to fly stuff to the remote native villages.

[Gliderjohn]

"6 full size 170 lb passengers"

Maybe in 1960! When I did my tandem parachute jump they did not take your word for your weight, they put you on the scale.
GliderJohn

[quota2000]

 "6 full size 170 lb passengers"  ::)  ;D

   Dusty

Okay, okay....or FOUR full-sized Guzzistis!!!  :o

Regards,

Jeff

[AMFrider]

Faster camera shutter needed.

[Chuck in Indiana]

That is why you need one of these:  http://griffonaerospace.com/uav-systems/lionheart/#!prettyPhoto

Takes all of the "miles of bicycle chain and brazillion parts" AND the struts out of the equation!!!  You would however, still need to figure out how to afford the fuel....  ;D

Regards,

Jeff

Friends don't let friends fly plastic airplanes.  ;D :BEER: