Beechcraft Model 18

The Beechcraft Model 18, also called the Twin Beech, is a six to eleven seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft designed and built by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. It was developed in the mid to late 1930s as a compact business aircraft and regional airliner; the prototype first flew on 15 January 1937 and gained type certification only seven weeks later. It stayed in continuous production from 1937 to November 1969, a world record at the time, with more than 9,000 built. Over 4,500 served the military in World War II as the C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, AT-11 Kansan and other types, and over 90 percent of United States Army Air Forces bombardiers and navigators trained in them. After the war it was the leading business aircraft and feeder airliner.