Beech 18/C-45

[brain44]

I am a huge Beech 18 fan and would jump on a new 1/48 kit… several times over. The 1/72 Hobbycraft builds that people have posted look nice (especially that RCAF scheme - WOW!), but it’s apparent that the kit does indeed have major “nose shape issues.” No fault of the builders, of course! [;)]

My employer has a forlorn old Beech E18S that greets me when I arrive at work each day. An old cargo hauler, it has the raised roof and pointy nose of the later models, and was converted to three-blade props at some point - still a beautiful aircraft.

If I am ever in the market for my own plane, the Twin Beech will occupy the top of the list, along with the Spartan 7W Executive.

Kevin

Kev, I gotta agree with you 1,000%! The 18 series ia, to my mind, the finest achievement of the Beech Corp.! Gott aget on a pre-order list for the ICM kit!

Brian [C):-)]

[explorerjake]

My Uncle flew a corporate Beech 18 in the 50’s, I used old photos, 8mm movie film and memory to recreate it in 1/48 with that Battle Axe kit. A very tough building project…all fits and alignment up to the builder plus details were scarce. I scratchbuilt the interior and lit it with an LED plus added a lot of scratchbuilt details.

If I could figure out how to attach a picture,I’d do it.

Jake

[hkshooter]

Sounds like there are a few of us that would like to obtain a 1/48th kit of this plane. How about if anyone comes up with info on a pre-order list or finds it available somewhere come here and let us all know? For some goofy reason I cannot explain I’ve taking a shine to this old bird and feel it needs a spot in the display case.

[brain44]

My Uncle flew a corporate Beech 18 in the 50’s, I used old photos, 8mm movie film and memory to recreate it in 1/48 with that Battle Axe kit. A very tough building project…all fits and alignment up to the builder plus details were scarce. I scratchbuilt the interior and lit it with an LED plus added a lot of scratchbuilt details.

If I could figure out how to attach a picture,I’d do it.

Jake

Jake,

I, for one, would be eternally grateful for those pictures, as I have several 1:72 kits to tide me over until the ICM kit or another (are you listening, AccuMini?) come out…this is a subject that is sorely under-represented and historically significant…

Brian [C):-)]

[explorerjake]

I would be happy to share some photos, but I don’t know the protocol in forums. I wanted to do a construction article, in case someone was interested, but was in a rush and didn’t take enough intermediate photos.

Right now my home computer is crashed with the pictures on it but I hope to get it online soon, perhaps a day or so. If you e-mail me I will downsize a few of the best ones and send them. Or you can suggest some other way. Can you open MS Powerpoint? If not they will be .jpg Powerpoint is also good if you want to see some details of construction.

I used a 1/72 scale kit to determine some of the details to be used on this 1/48.

Thank you for your interest.

Jake

[jeaton01]

I have a pretty good bunch of photos on a C-45 and some info on the E-18 on my website, here:

http://yolo.net/~jeaton/Propplanes/c45/c45.htm

[MIflyer]

Sounds like there are a few of us that would like to obtain a 1/48th kit of this plane. How about if anyone comes up with info on a pre-order list or finds it available somewhere come here and let us all know? For some goofy reason I cannot explain I’ve taking a shine to this old bird and feel it needs a spot in the display case.

Sounds good! If we all go looking, one of us is bound to find something useful!

BTW, it’s not a goofy reason, it’s a good reason: this plane rocks! [:D]

Kevin

[MIflyer]

I would be happy to share some photos, but I don’t know the protocol in forums. I wanted to do a construction article, in case someone was interested, but was in a rush and didn’t take enough intermediate photos.

Right now my home computer is crashed with the pictures on it but I hope to get it online soon, perhaps a day or so. If you e-mail me I will downsize a few of the best ones and send them. Or you can suggest some other way. Can you open MS Powerpoint? If not they will be .jpg Powerpoint is also good if you want to see some details of construction.

I used a 1/72 scale kit to determine some of the details to be used on this 1/48.

Thank you for your interest.

Jake

good tutorial on how to go about itIf you want to share photos of a build, you are free - in fact, you are encouraged! - to do so. In order to post photos you’ll have to upload them to an online image hosting service, and then link to them. There is a on the forums!

Kevin

[MIflyer]

Kevin, the 3 blade props were an option on G-18’s according to an old beech sales brochure I have. A question, why was there no F-18?

True! I understand that it was also a popular retrofit on D- and E- models in the late 60’s-70’s. The local example I posted is a E18S-9700.

I have to confess I don’t know why the F model was skipped, unless it was to avoid confusion with military aircraft… although the Hornet sure didn’t exist at the time… [%-)]

Kevin

[explorerjake]

Thank you Kevin.

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Three things most useless to a pilot…fuel in the storage tank, runway behind and altitude above…

[MIflyer]

Thank you Kevin.

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Three things most useless to a pilot…fuel in the storage tank, runway behind and altitude above…

Glad to be of service! [^]

Kevin

[cardshark_14]

Here’s some interesting, related news. Czech Model has announced a new 1/48 Cessna Bobcat. Things are looking good for the 1/48 trainer/civil aircraft crowd. [:)] I’ll be looking forward to this one too.

Cheers,
Alex

[hkshooter]

I noticed Squadron has the Battleaxe B-18 on sale. Anyone know anything about the kit?

[cardshark_14]

Hey Troy,

I think you’d be better off waiting for the ICM bird. Battleaxe has a reputation of quality similar to or worse than Mach 2 or Fonderie Miniature. Maybe its something in the wine in France…Either way, [xx(] If you’re really interested, this is the only review I can find…

[link]http://www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/mieslebeech.htm[/link]

Cheers,
Alex

[roadkill_275]

Kevin, the 3 blade props were an option on G-18’s according to an old beech sales brochure I have. A question, why was there no F-18?

True! I understand that it was also a popular retrofit on D- and E- models in the late 60’s-70’s. The local example I posted is a E18S-9700.

I have to confess I don’t know why the F model was skipped, unless it was to avoid confusion with military aircraft… although the Hornet sure didn’t exist at the time… [%-)]

Kevin

Beech had an experimental 18 with 6 cylinder (or were they 8? I can’t remember) Ranger engines. It’s possible that if it had gone into production it could’ve been the F. If anybody has pics of the inline 18 I would be really interested in seeing them, I’ve only heard about through some friends at the airport I used to work at.

[philo426]

Here is a head on shot of the Hobbycraft Beech 18:

[qmiester]

For you guys who didn’t realize it, Beech built a bomber based loosely on the 18. The XA-38 Grizzly - two R-3350s (same engine as the B-29), 1 75mm cannon and two 50 cals in the nose w/two remote turrets (ala A-26). First flew in early 1944, but changing requirements and priorities kept it from being produced and put into service (the fact that it most likely would not be operational in time for the Invasion of Japan had some effect on the decision to kill it too). 2 a/c built, only one flew - first was cut up and nobody can say what happened to the second (it was supposedly bound for the AFM but never made it - which happened to several aircraft after the war)

[dcaponeII]

Is the horizontal stab a bit high on the starboard side?

[explorerjake]

OK ,Kevin I’m ready to try to link 2 pictures…here goes !

Jake

[explorerjake]

Ooops !