Beechcraft
Encyclopedia
Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation
and military
aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon
, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft
since 2006.
Beechcraft was founded in Wichita, Kansas
in 1932 by Walter H. Beech
and his wife Olive Ann Mellor Beech
. The company began operations in an idle Cessna
factory. With designer Ted Wells, they developed the first aircraft under the Beechcraft name, the classic Model 17 Staggerwing
, which first flew in November 1932. Over 750 Staggerwings were built, with 270 manufactured for the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II
.
Beechcraft was not Beech's first company, as he had previously formed Travel Air
in 1924 and the design numbers used at Beechcraft followed the sequence started at Travel Air, and were then continued at Curtiss-Wright, after Travel Air had been absorbed into the much larger company in 1929. Beech became President of the Curtiss-Wright's airplane division and VP of sales, but became dissatisfied with being so far removed from aircraft production and quit to form Beechcraft, using the original Travel Air facilities and employing many of the same people. Model numbers prior to 11/11000 were built under the Travel Air name, while Curtiss-Wright built the CW-12, 14, 15 and 16 as well as previous successful Travel Air models (mostly the model 4).
In 1942 Beech won its first Army-Navy ‘E’ Award
production award and became one of the elite five percent of war contracting firms in the country to win five straight awards for production efficiency, mostly for the production of the Beechcraft 18 which remains in widespread use worldwide.
After the war, the Staggerwing was replaced by the revolutionary Beechcraft Bonanza
with a distinctive V-tail
. Perhaps the best known Beech aircraft, the single-engine Bonanza has been manufactured in various models since 1947. The Bonanza has had the longest production run of any airplane, past or present, in the world. Other important Beech planes are the King Air
/Super King Air
line of twin-engine turboprops, in production since 1964, the Baron
, a twin-engine variant of the Bonanza, and the Beechcraft Model 18
, originally a business transport and commuter airliner from the late 1930s through the 1960s, which remains in active service as a cargo transport.
In 1950, Olive Ann Beech was installed as president and CEO of the company, after the sudden death of her husband from a heart attack on November 29 of that year. She continued as CEO until Beech was purchased by Raytheon Company
on 8 February 1980. Ted Wells had been replaced as Chief Engineer by Herbert Rawdon, who remained at the post until his retirement in the early 1960s (he continued as a part-time consultant to Cessna President Dwane Wallace in Wichita until shortly before his death).
In 1994, Raytheon merged Beechcraft with the Hawker product line it had acquired in 1993 from British Aerospace
, forming Raytheon Aircraft Company. In 2002, the Beechcraft brand was revived to again designate the Wichita-produced aircraft. Randy Groom, now President of Groom Aviation LLC, was President from 2003 to 2007, when Raytheon sold Raytheon Aircraft to Hawker Beechcraft
. Since its inception Beechcraft has resided in Wichita, Kansas
, also the home of chief competitor Cessna
, the birthplace of Learjet and of Stearman
, whose trainers were used in large numbers during WW2.
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft
Hawker Beechcraft
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is an aerospace manufacturing company that builds the Beechcraft and Hawker business jet lines of aircraft....
since 2006.
History
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
in 1932 by Walter H. Beech
Walter Herschel Beech
Walter Herschel Beech was an American pioneer aviator.-Biography:He was born in Pulaski, Tennessee on January 30, 1891. Beech started flying in 1905, at age 14, when he built a glider of his own design. Then, after flying for the United States Army during World War I, he joined the Swallow...
and his wife Olive Ann Mellor Beech
Olive Ann Beech
Olive Ann Beech was a U.S. aviation pioneer and businesswoman.With her husband, Walter Herschel Beech, she founded the Beech Aircraft Company....
. The company began operations in an idle Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
factory. With designer Ted Wells, they developed the first aircraft under the Beechcraft name, the classic Model 17 Staggerwing
Beechcraft Staggerwing
The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative stagger , that first flew in 1932.-Development:...
, which first flew in November 1932. Over 750 Staggerwings were built, with 270 manufactured for the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Beechcraft was not Beech's first company, as he had previously formed Travel Air
Travel Air
The Travel Air Manufacturing Company was an aircraft manufacturer established in Wichita, Kansas in the United States in January 1925 by Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, and Lloyd Stearman.-Company history:...
in 1924 and the design numbers used at Beechcraft followed the sequence started at Travel Air, and were then continued at Curtiss-Wright, after Travel Air had been absorbed into the much larger company in 1929. Beech became President of the Curtiss-Wright's airplane division and VP of sales, but became dissatisfied with being so far removed from aircraft production and quit to form Beechcraft, using the original Travel Air facilities and employing many of the same people. Model numbers prior to 11/11000 were built under the Travel Air name, while Curtiss-Wright built the CW-12, 14, 15 and 16 as well as previous successful Travel Air models (mostly the model 4).
In 1942 Beech won its first Army-Navy ‘E’ Award
Army-Navy ‘E’ Award
The Army-Navy "E" Award was an honor presented to a company during World War II for excellence in production of war equipment. The award was also known as the Army-Navy Production Award. The award would consist of a pennant for the plant and emblems for all employees in the plant at the time the...
production award and became one of the elite five percent of war contracting firms in the country to win five straight awards for production efficiency, mostly for the production of the Beechcraft 18 which remains in widespread use worldwide.
After the war, the Staggerwing was replaced by the revolutionary Beechcraft Bonanza
Beechcraft Bonanza
The Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by The Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. , it is still being produced by Hawker Beechcraft, and has been in continuous production longer than any other airplane in history...
with a distinctive V-tail
V-tail
In aircraft, a V-tail is an unconventional arrangement of the tail control surfaces that replaces the traditional fin and horizontal surfaces with two surfaces set in a V-shaped configuration when viewed from the front or rear of the aircraft...
. Perhaps the best known Beech aircraft, the single-engine Bonanza has been manufactured in various models since 1947. The Bonanza has had the longest production run of any airplane, past or present, in the world. Other important Beech planes are the King Air
Beechcraft King Air
The Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation...
/Super King Air
Beechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
line of twin-engine turboprops, in production since 1964, the Baron
Beechcraft Baron
|-See also:- Further reading :*Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife Publishing, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.*Michell, Simon. Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994-95. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 1994. ISBN 0-7106-1208-7.*Taylor, John W. R....
, a twin-engine variant of the Bonanza, and the Beechcraft Model 18
Beechcraft Model 18
The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
, originally a business transport and commuter airliner from the late 1930s through the 1960s, which remains in active service as a cargo transport.
In 1950, Olive Ann Beech was installed as president and CEO of the company, after the sudden death of her husband from a heart attack on November 29 of that year. She continued as CEO until Beech was purchased by Raytheon Company
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
on 8 February 1980. Ted Wells had been replaced as Chief Engineer by Herbert Rawdon, who remained at the post until his retirement in the early 1960s (he continued as a part-time consultant to Cessna President Dwane Wallace in Wichita until shortly before his death).
In 1994, Raytheon merged Beechcraft with the Hawker product line it had acquired in 1993 from British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
, forming Raytheon Aircraft Company. In 2002, the Beechcraft brand was revived to again designate the Wichita-produced aircraft. Randy Groom, now President of Groom Aviation LLC, was President from 2003 to 2007, when Raytheon sold Raytheon Aircraft to Hawker Beechcraft
Hawker Beechcraft
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is an aerospace manufacturing company that builds the Beechcraft and Hawker business jet lines of aircraft....
. Since its inception Beechcraft has resided in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, also the home of chief competitor Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
, the birthplace of Learjet and of Stearman
Stearman Aircraft
Stearman Aircraft Corporation was an aircraft manufacturer in Wichita, Kansas. Although the company designed a range of other aircraft, it is most known for producing the Model 75, which is commonly known simply as the "Stearman" or "Boeing Stearman"....
, whose trainers were used in large numbers during WW2.
Products
Civilian aircraft
- Model 16Beechcraft Model 16The Beechcraft Model 16 was an experimental American all-metal low-wing training monoplane designed and built by Beechcraft. The prototype, registered N9716Q, first flew on 12 June 1970 and was the only one built.- References :NotesBibliography...
Single-engine, all-metal training aircraft. Designed and flight tested in Liberal, KS in 1970. The wings and tail section were two feet shorter than the Model 19. It had a Lycoming O-235 engine rated at 125 hp. Only one was ever built because Mrs. Beech did not like the aircraft.
- Model 17 StaggerwingBeechcraft StaggerwingThe Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative stagger , that first flew in 1932.-Development:...
Single-radial-engine fabric-covered biplane utility aircraft, tailwheel landing gear
- Model 18 Twin BeechBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
Two-radial-engine all-metal utility aircraft, tailwheel landing gear
- Model 19 SportBeechcraft MusketeerThe Beechcraft Musketeer is a family of single-engine, low-wing, light aircraft that was produced by Beechcraft. The line includes the Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the Model 23 Musketeer, Custom and Sundowner, the Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III the retractable gear Model 24-R Sierra and the military...
Single-engine, all metal training aircraft, tricycle landing gear
- Model 23 MusketeerBeechcraft MusketeerThe Beechcraft Musketeer is a family of single-engine, low-wing, light aircraft that was produced by Beechcraft. The line includes the Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the Model 23 Musketeer, Custom and Sundowner, the Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III the retractable gear Model 24-R Sierra and the military...
and Sundowner Single-engine all-metal training aircraft, nosewheel landing gear
- Model 24 SierraBeechcraft MusketeerThe Beechcraft Musketeer is a family of single-engine, low-wing, light aircraft that was produced by Beechcraft. The line includes the Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the Model 23 Musketeer, Custom and Sundowner, the Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III the retractable gear Model 24-R Sierra and the military...
Development of the Musketeer
- Model 34 Twin-Quad Prototype small airliner; the largest aircraft ever built by Beechcraft
- Model 33 DebonairBeechcraft BonanzaThe Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by The Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. , it is still being produced by Hawker Beechcraft, and has been in continuous production longer than any other airplane in history...
Development of the Bonanza, with conventional empennage
- Model 35 BonanzaBeechcraft BonanzaThe Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by The Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. , it is still being produced by Hawker Beechcraft, and has been in continuous production longer than any other airplane in history...
Single-engine utility aircraft, nosewheel landing gear, V-tail
- Model 36 BonanzaBeechcraft BonanzaThe Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by The Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. , it is still being produced by Hawker Beechcraft, and has been in continuous production longer than any other airplane in history...
Single-engine utility aircraft, nosewheel landing gear, conventional tail
- Beechcraft Model 40 A Twin engined Bonanza, only one produced unique "over-under" arrangement of engines
- Model 50 Twin BonanzaBeechcraft Twin Bonanza|-See also:-References:Twin Bonanza Association http://twinbonanza.com...
Two-engine utility aircraft; despite its name was not a development of the Bonanza
- Models 55, 56 and 58 BaronBeechcraft Baron|-See also:- Further reading :*Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife Publishing, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.*Michell, Simon. Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994-95. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 1994. ISBN 0-7106-1208-7.*Taylor, John W. R....
Two-engine high-performance utility aircraft; derived from the Model 95 Travel Air, Model 58 with fuselage derived from the Model 36 Bonanza
- Model 60 DukeBeechcraft Duke-Military operators:-See also:-References:*Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicesrer, UK:Blitz Editions, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
Two-engine high-performance utility aircraft
- Models 65, 70, 80 and 88 Queen Air Two-engine transport aircraft; derived from the Model 50 Twin Bonanza
- Model 76 DuchessBeechcraft Duchess|-See also:-External links:*...
Two-engine development of the Musketeer
- Model 77 SkipperBeechcraft Skipper|-See also:-References:* "Airdata File: Beechcraft PD 285". Air Enthusiast, December 1975, Vol 9 No 6. p. 312.*...
Single-engine two-seat primary trainer with fixed nosewheel landing gear
- Models 90 and 100 King AirBeechcraft King AirThe Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation...
Two-turboprop-engine transport aircraft, developed from the Queen Air
- Models 200 and 300 (Super) King AirBeechcraft Super King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
Development of the King Air
- Model 95 Travel Air Two-engine development of the Model 33 Bonanza
- Model 99 AirlinerBeechcraft Model 99|-See also:-External links:*...
Two-turboprop-engine small airliner; derived from the Queen Air
- Model 390 Premier Two-turbofan-engine utility aircraft (Entry Level Jet)
- Model 400 BeechjetRaytheon Hawker 400XP|-See also:-References:*Field, Hugh and Hurst, Mike. "". Flight International, 30 September 1978, pp. 1261–1266.*Taylor, John W.R. . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data, 1988. ISBN 0 7106-0867-5....
Two-turbofan-engine utility aircraft, originally designed and manufactured by Mitsubishi
- Model 1900 AirlinerBeechcraft 1900The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner...
Two-turboprop-engine airliner development of Model 200 Super King Air
- Model 2000 StarshipBeechcraft StarshipThe Beechcraft Starship is a twin-turboprop six- to eight-passenger pressurized business aircraft produced by Beech Aircraft Corporation .-Development:...
Two-turboprop-engine utility aircraft with canard configuration and pusher propellers.
Military aircraft
- UC-43 Traveler Earliest and impressed examples were stock, others had minor alterations to meet Military specifications.
- AT-7 Navigator/C-45/UC-45/CT-128 ExpeditorBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
Model 18s built for the Military with minor modifications. - AT-11 KansanBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
Military derivative of the Model 18 fitted for training bombardiers and gunners - CT-134 MusketeerBeechcraft MusketeerThe Beechcraft Musketeer is a family of single-engine, low-wing, light aircraft that was produced by Beechcraft. The line includes the Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the Model 23 Musketeer, Custom and Sundowner, the Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III the retractable gear Model 24-R Sierra and the military...
Canadian military derivatives of the Musketeer/Sundowner series. - AT-10 Wichita Twin engined trainer built primarily of wood.
- XA-38 Grizzly Prototype 1944 twin engined attack aircraft.
- T-34 Mentor & T-34C Turbine MentorT-34 MentorThe Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is a propeller-driven, single-engined, military trainer aircraft derived from the Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza. The earlier versions of the T-34, dating from around the late 1940s to the 1950s, were piston-engined. These were eventually succeeded by the upgraded T-34C...
Single engined two-seat trainer loosely derived from straight tail Bonanza. - U-8A through U-8E Seminole Off the shelf Twin Bonanza.
- T-42 Cochise Off the shelf Baron.
- Beechcraft Model 73 Jet Mentor Prototype for two seat tandem jet trainer.
- C-6 Ute/U-21 Ute Off the shelf King Air.
- U-8F (or later) Seminole Military version of Queen Air.
- C-12 Huron/RC-12 Guardrail/CT-145 Super King AirC-12 HuronThe C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps...
Super King Air for US and Canadian Militaries. - T-1A Jayhawk Military version of Model 400 used as a trainer for pilots of large aircraft in the US miltary.
- T-6 Texan II/CT-156 Harvard IIT-6 Texan IIThe Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engined turboprop aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company . Based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 is used by the United States Air Force for basic pilot training and by the United States Navy for Primary and Intermediate Joint Naval Flight Officer and...
redesigned Pilatus PC-9Pilatus PC-9The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.-Design and development:...
turboprop two-seat trainer for JPATSJoint Primary Aircraft Training SystemThe Joint Primary Aircraft Training System was an aircraft procurement program of the United States in the 1990s by the United States Air Force and United States Navy, a merger of 1980s era training aircraft programs. The winner was declared in 1995 and entered service a few years later as the...
competition.
Other products
- Beechcraft PlainsmanBeechcraft PlainsmanThe Beechcraft Plainsman was a car made in 1946 by the Beech Aircraft Company in Witchita, Kansas. The Plainsman was fitted with an aircraft engine driving a generator, which in turn powered four electric motors, one for each wheel. It also had an aluminum body. It weighed and could carry six...
Post-World War II automobile that reached the prototype stage before being cancelled - AQM-37 JayhawkAQM-37 Jayhawk-References:***This article contains material that originally came from the web article by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain....
Air-launched target drone aircraft with single rocket engine - MQM-61A CardinalMQM-61A Cardinal-References:*This article contains material that originally came from the web article by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain....
Drone aircraft with single horizontally-opposed two-stroke piston engine and propeller