{"id":54862,"date":"2024-02-16T21:17:28","date_gmt":"2024-02-16T20:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=54862"},"modified":"2025-02-16T00:09:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-15T23:09:33","slug":"the-beechcraft-c-45-twin-beech-of-the-fio-a-jewel-of-spanish-aviation-from-1942","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2024\/02\/16\/the-beechcraft-c-45-twin-beech-of-the-fio-a-jewel-of-spanish-aviation-from-1942\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beechcraft C-45 Twin Beech of the FIO, a jewel of Spanish aviation from 1942"},"content":{"rendered":"

On January 15, 1937, the Beechcraft Model 18, a twin-engine airplane popularly known as the \"Twin Beech,\" made its first flight.<\/p>\n

A walk through the interior of the Spanish C-130H Hercules of the Cuatro Vientos Air Museum<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe interior of the large Spanish KC-97L Stratotanker preserved in the Museo del Aire<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

This light aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo<\/strong> was equipped with two Pratt & Whitney R-985 piston engines. With two crew members (pilot and co-pilot), it could transport between 6 and 8 passengers<\/strong>, with a maximum speed of 362 km\/h and a range of 1,900 km. Although it became famous as an executive and regional airliner, the Twin Beech had a golden era in World War II<\/strong>, during which some 4,500 C-45s (its military name) were used as airliners. liaison, light transport, training, photoreconnaissance, target towing and even light bombing.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
The C-45 of the Infante de Orle\u00e1ns Foundation (Image: Fundaci\u00f3n Infante de Orle\u00e1ns).<\/div>\n

The Twin Beech continued to be manufactured in the post-war period, with more than 9,000 units being completed<\/strong>, a record for aircraft of this type. It was in continuous production from 1937 to 1970. Even today more than 200 Twin Beechs continue to fly in the USA<\/strong>, where this model is already an aviation classic.<\/p>\n

In Spain, the Infante de Orle\u00e1ns Foundation (FIO) owns a Beechcraft C-45 that was delivered to the US Army Air Forces on December 18, 1942<\/strong> with construction number 4191 and serial number 42-43462. Currently one of the few aircraft of this type that are fit to fly in Europe. Initially this aircraft was a Beechcraft AT-7 Navigator<\/strong>, the navigation training version of the Twin Beech, of which 577 examples were built. In 1952 it was converted into a C-45H. After its discharge, it was acquired by the Spanish airline Spantax in 1962, receiving the civil registration EC-ASJ.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
The C-45 of the FIO with the colors of Azimut (Photo: Fundaci\u00f3n Infante de Orle\u00e1ns).<\/div>\n

In 1972 it was sold to an aerial photography company, Azimut, which operated it from the Cuatro Vientos airfield. In 1990 he arrived at the FIO, which began a restoration process that culminated in 2004.<\/strong> You can see photos of its restoration process here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Currently, EC-ASJ flies in its old Spantax livery<\/strong>, forming part of the beautiful FIO air displays at Cuatro Vientos. Yesterday, Fly By Wire Aviation<\/a> published a video showing this Twin Beech up close in his hangar:<\/strong><\/p>\n