The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time), over 9,000 were built, making it one of the world's most widely used light aircraft. Sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis, or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft.
During and after World War II, over 4,500 Beech 18s were used in military service"”as light transport, light bomber (for China), aircrew trainer (for bombing, navigation, and gunnery), photo-reconnaissance, and "mother ship" for target drones"”including Royal Canadian Airforce (RCAF), United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan; and United States Navy (USN) UC-45J Navigator, SNB-1 Kansan, and others. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators and pilots trained in these aircraft.
In the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent "business aircraft" and "feeder airliner". Besides carrying passengers, its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish stocking, dry-ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air-mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine testbed, skywriting, banner towing, and stunt aircraft. Wikipedia
Known Squadron Assignments: ;RCAF;6
Ex USAAF C-45F serial number 44-47425. Delivered to storage. To Western Air Command on 8 November 1944. Used by base flight at RCAF Station Whitehorse, Yukon. Performed air-evac from Fort Nelson, BC on 10 July 1946, carrying an Army Sargent injured in a car crash. Destroyed in crash near Whitehorse on 16 January 1947. Flipped over while attempting forced landing, and exploded. All 6 occupants killed. 2015-11-24Known Squadron Assignments: ;4
Ex USAAF C-45F serial number 43-35710. Lend-Lease serial HB228 also reserved, probably never marked. First issued to No. 4 TC Comm Flight. Crashed at Calgary on 24 November 1944, all 6 occupants killed. 2015-03-21Known Squadron Assignments: ;Air
Ex USAAF C-45F serial number 44-47700. Category A crash at Camp Borden on 16 October 1958. S/L E.R. McDowall, DFC, CD and Flight Lieutenant E.A. Elson killed. 2014-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: ;Air;412
Ex USAAF C-45F serial number 44-87316. Served with No. 12 (Com) and No. 412 (T) Squadrons post war at Rockcliffe and Uplands. Delivered Air Commodore Millar, AOC MCHQ from Rockcliffe to Winnipeg, arriving on 17 October 1946. Carried Air Vice Marshal Slemon on Arctic tour, September 1947. Also served with Admin Unit at Uplands, date unknown. Was personal transportof the Air Officer Commanding Air Material Command Headquarters, but maintained and operated by No. 412 Squadron, when it crashed. Went missing on flight from Rockcliffe to Chatham on 21 April 1949, wreckage not found until 1955. 3 fatalities. 2016-02-03412 Squadron RCAF Station Rockcliffe. Known as the VIP Squadron, 412 Squadron transported dignitaries and "Very Important People". Expeditor aircraft 1425 departed RCAF Station Rockcliffe for a flight to RCAF Station Chatham and vanished with seven passengers and crew aboard. The wreckage of the aircraft and remains of the crew were not found until August 30,1955, in a heavily wooded area, some 65 miles west of Chatham, New Brunswick
Flight Lieutenant J F Thomas (RCAF), Flying Officer K Hinde (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman J T C Cavanagh (RCAF), Wing Commander B H Beck (RCAF), Wing Commander J H Drury (RCAF), Squadron Leader F W Darnell (RCAF) and civilian passenger L C Parkes were all killed in this flying accident
Expeditor 1425 was the last of 44 ordered by the RCAF, the surviving aircraft were converted to 3T military trainer configuration in 1952
Known Squadron Assignments: ;2
With No. 2 Air Navigation School at Winnipeg when it crashed near Gunton on 5 February 1953. Flying Cadet C.A.S. Clinton and Flying Officer J.N. McDowell killed. 2016-01-29Known Squadron Assignments: ;Canadian;1
Used at No. 2 Air Navigators School at RCAF Station Winnipeg in 1953. With No. 1 Advanced Flying School, CJATC, Rivers Camp, Manitoba, in 1962. Still with this School when it crashed on 12 May 1964. Flight Lieutenant J.S. Chatt and Officer Cadet J.P.A. Belanger killed. 2016-06-15Known Squadron Assignments: ;2
With No. 2 Air Navigation School at Winnipeg when it crashed near Carman, Manitoba on 4 February 1952. Flying Officer C. Chow-Leong and Corp. A.C. Descorps killed. 2016-01-29Known Squadron Assignments: ;2
With No. 2 Air Navigation School at Winnipeg when it crashed at Winnipeg on 18 May 1956. Flying Officer F.P. Coyle, Flying Officer J.T. King, Pilot Officer B. Cox, Flying Officer A.G. Mulholland, and Cadet d'aviation J.J.R.O. Plourde killed. 2016-01-29Known Squadron Assignments: ;2
Serving with No. 2 Air Observer School at time of crash, Winnipeg or Saskatoon. Crashed on 11 February 1957, Flying Officer B.W. Cherewick killed. 2016-01-29Known Squadron Assignments: ;104
Delivered new to No. 104 (K) Flight. Category A crash at RCAF Station St. Hubert, Quebec on 4 October 1954. 0000-01-01Known Squadron Assignments: ;3
Delivered to RCAF Station Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on 17 April 1952. To Bristol Aerospace at Winnipeg for overhaul. To No. 403 Squadron (Auxiliary) at Calgary, Alberta on 23 November 1956. To No. 4 Flying Training School at RCAF Station Penhold, Alberta on 13 February 1961. To Bristol Aerospace for overhaul on 12 June 1962. To Central Flying School at RCAF Station Gimli, Manitoba on 16 October 1962. To Air Transport Command on 22 November 1963, for use by No. 438 Squadron (Auxiliary) at RCAF Station St. Hubert, Quebec. To No. 1 Advanced Flying School at CJATC, Rivers Camp, Manitoba on 30 June 1964. Moved to RCAF Station Portage la Prairie, Manitoba with this unit on 31 July 1964. To Bristol Aerospace for installation of TACAN, back to No. 1 AFS on 12 October 1965. Still with this school when it crashed on 16 February 1967. Flying Officer D.W. Smith killed. Converted to Mk. 3NMT, date unknown. 2016-02-01Known Squadron Assignments: ;404
Delivered to storage at No. 6 Repair Depot. Transferred to Maritime Group on 6 October 1952, for use at RCAF Station Greenwood, NS. Delivered there on 21 October 1952. To Bristol Aerospace in Winnipeg for overhaul, back to Greenwood on 16 June 1959 for use by No. 405 (MP) Squadron. Category A crash at Foymount, Ontario on 21 September 1962 while being operated by No. 404 (MP) Squadron. Flight Lieutenant D.F. Clifton killed. Struck off at site. 2016-02-03Known Squadron Assignments: 105;435;411;3 FTS
Delivered to Tactical Air Group at Edmonton, Alberta on 19 April 1952. At Bristol Aerospace in Winnipeg for overhaul on 22 March 1957, to No. 105 (CR) Flight at RCAF Station Namao, Alberta on same date. To No. 435 (T) Squadron at Namao on 13 January 1959. To No. 411 Squadron (Auxiliary) at RCAF Station Downsview, Ontario on 28 January 1964. To Bristol for reupholstery, back to No. 411 Sdn. on 15 March 1966. To No. 3 Flying Training School at RCAF Station Portage la Prairie on 31 October 1966. To Bristol for magnetic particle inspection and spar reinforcement, back to No. 3 FTS on 18 May 1967. Still with this school when renumbered. 2022-03-29Known Squadron Assignments: ;1
Delivered to storage. Issued to Training Command on 5 June 1953, for use at RCAF Station Summerside, PEI. With 1 Air Navigation School at Summerside when it suffered a Category A crash at North Bay, Ontario on 13 October 1953. Flying Officer J.A.E. Holten killed. 2014-03-31Known Squadron Assignments: ;1
With 1 Advanced Flying School at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Category A crash at Saskatoon on 18 August 1952. Flying Officer D.M. Hildebrand and Pilot Officer J.W. Robson killed. 2014-03-31Known Squadron Assignments: ;409
Delivered to stored reserve with No. 25 Air Material Base. To Air Defence Command on 15 November 1954, possibly for use at RCAF Station Comox, BC. Category A crash at Comox on 24 January 1957, while with No. 409 Squadron. Flying Officer S.W. Crathcly killed. 2016-02-03Known Squadron Assignments: ;105
Delivered to stored reserve with No. 25 Air Material Base. To Air Defence Command on 23 April 1953, for use by No. 121 (K) Flight) at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC. To Tactical Air Command on 22 July 1953, for use by C&R Flight at RCAF Station Namao, Alberta. Category A crash on 17 March 1954 at Grand Prairie, Alberta. First report filed by RCAF Station Edmonton. 0000-01-01Known Squadron Assignments: ;12
Delivered to stored reserve with No. 25 Air Material Base. To Air Defence Command on 15 May 1953, for use at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC. Reported missing on 11 October 1954, on a flight near Vancouver. Report filed by No. 121 (C&R) Flight as Sea Island. Declared Category A. 0000-01-01Known Squadron Assignments: ;32
Ex USAAF UC-45B serial number 43-35463, ex RAF HB100. Assigned to No. 32 Operational Training Unit, RCAF Stations Patricia Bay or Comox, BC. Went missing over BC lower mainland on ferry flight from Rockcliffe, 16 January 1944. Ownership transferred to No. 3 Repair Depot on 5 September 1944 for write off. 4 fatalities. Wreckage still not located in 2011. 2016-02-09Known Squadron Assignments: ;104
At RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge, NB in August 1945, probably with Transport Conversion Squadron. Transferred from RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge, NB to No. 6 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Comox, BC in September 1945. 2011-12-07Used by No. 32 Operational Training Unit, RCAF Stations Patricia Bay or Comox, BC.
5870 UC-45B 43-35493 USAAF: built Wichita KS .43
Mk.I HB123 Tfd to RAF as Expediter Mk.I HB123 Tfd to RCAF as Expediter Mk.I HB123: received at Rockcliffe AB: BOC 6.1.44
Mk.3T (80 RCAF Mk.I & II rebuilt to Mk. 3T standard by MacDonald Brothers from 1952) RCAF SOC 5.4.67
CF-VPH Bradley Air Services Ltd, Carp ONT 68 ran off runway on take off, overturned, Carp ONT 23.4.68 struck-off Canadian register 12.2.69
source: Geoff Goodall, Aviation History Site
2023-04-05Known Squadron Assignments: ;32
Used by No. 32 Operational Training Unit, RCAF Stations Patricia Bay or Comox, BC. Crashed inverted into trees near NAS Whitby Island, Washington while attempting to land in bad weather on 12 April 1944. All 4 occupants killed, including one civilian. 2016-02-09Known Squadron Assignments: ;32
Ferried from Toronto to Montreal on 21 October 1943, by No. 124 (F) Squadron. Probably still on RAF books at that time. Used by No. 32 Operational Training Unit, RCAF Stations Patricia Bay or Comox, BC. Missing from night navigational exercise on 19 May 1944. Belived to be missing along east coast of Vancouver Island, also reported as lost over centre of island, between Tofino and Port Hardy. All 3 crew members (2 RAF and one RAAF) never found. 2016-02-09