I’ve already asked Burl, our resident expert on aviation history, via email. Of course, his main area of specialization is military (I think), and this really looks civilian to me. But he probably knows, and I’m awaiting a reply.
Anyway, Lanier Jones of ADCO had this framed picture (sorry about the reflection of me in the image; the picture doesn’t have non-reflective glass), and was curious as to what sort of aircraft it was. (I’d have taken it out and scanned it, but I think he just had if framed.)
I told him it looked like an early airliner. I can think of no other reason for the windows. General shape is like a DC-3 (the civilian version of the C-47), but it seems much too small to be one of those.
Anyone?
Related Posts
Model 18 – Twin Beech
I believe we have a winner!
Brad, from the obfuscating view it might also be a smaller Beach AT-7, which also saw service in and after WW2.
A retired aviation engineer will probably know for certain when he returns from his vacation.
Jim Foster, a former fellow editor at The State and later press guy for several state superintendents of education, writes to tell me this:
I asked whether it was used to transport VIPs — with those windows, making it look like a small airliner, I couldn’t imagine another use — he replied, “If memory serves, yes, it was a way to ferry senior officers around the country more cheaply than in C47s.”
Burl weighs in, via email:
That’s the military version of the Beech Model 18.
Everyone is correct, Mark got it first. AT-7 and C-45 were/are military versions of the basic Beech 18.
That and more are here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Model_18.