Beech Little Known Aircraft & Projects

[toura]

The beech 81 from "aviation magazine"

 

[Stargazer]

Hi all
From an old "aviation magazine" I have this one

Paul, we have a topic on this aircraft already:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1109.msg77806.html#msg77806
Could you repost it there? Thanks!

 

[Stargazer]

The beech 81 from "aviation magazine"

Interesting! This is in fact the Rutan Model 81! Other Rutan designs were assimilated as Beech types (the 143 Triumph, the 133 SCAT, the 115 Starship) but I'd forgotten that the Catbird had also been presented as a Beech type at the time. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Stargazer]

The Revista Aérea Collection at the NASM Archives has photos a "Beech-Paraguay Paraguay 1, prototype".

Any idea what this is and when it was built??

 

[walter]

Hello Stéphane
I think the plane you mean is the Paraguay 1 of AeroTalleres Guarani and I think it is still active with the Flight Club Deporyivo Yvytu at San Bernardino, Paraguay.
on http://www.yvytu.org/2006/?page_id=141 there are some pictures.
What I gathered is following:
Registration ZP-XEA and claimed to be indigenous design, but clearly a lot of features of the Debonair/Bonanza family. Developed under leadership of Messrs. J.Repka Kusi and W.Fagundez (of AeroTalleres Guarani SA, the builders) and first flight 27 November 1981. wingspan 35.105ft, length 24.606ft, height 9.612ft. Cruise 170 mph, ceiling 15,000ft, endurance 5.75 hours
Aimed at the Paraguayan AF as trainer. When no orders followed the aircraft became a club aircraft with the above aeroclub. I did not find what engine, but seems logical this is Bonanza/Debonair.

[link corrected]

 

[Stargazer]

Brilliant! Thank you so much for finding this rare aircraft.
With the link you provided I had enough leads to find more...

The ZP-XEA prototype, called Paraguay 1, was built by the firm AeroTalleres Guarani SRL (which translates as "Guarani Aero Workshops, Ltd."), owned by Messrs. Joseph Repka (Civil Aviation Pilot) and Mr. Walter Kusy Fagundez (structuralist and designer of the prototype).

Commander Airman Joseph Repka Kusi was born in the town of Carmen del Parana, Paraguay. He is also a pilot and an entrepreneur in the pharmacy business. With a broad smile, he very willingly agreed to this interview with a detailed overview of his great accomplishment of 24 years ago—at the end of 1981 to be exact. The fruits of his labor became a reality, and gave birth to the "first aircraft built entirely in our country."

• How did the idea of building the first Paraguay airplane come about?
  AeroTalleres Guarani SRL in Guaraní was in partnership with Mr. Walter Fagundez, and it was exactly with this friend and partner that I developed this project.

• How long did the construction take?
  From 1979 to 1981.

• Was it built entirely in Paraguay?
  Yes, the design and also each part, forged and assembled by Paraguayan workers. Only the propeller and engine were imported from abroad.

• What date was his first flight and who was the pilot?
  The first flight took place in the old Silvio Petirossi Airport on November 27,1981 and I had the great honor of being the test pilot for that plane.

• How did you christen the first plane built?
  The ZP-XEA prototype was called the Paraguay 1.

• What do the letters ZP-XEA mean?
  ZP- means that its nationality is Paraguayan and the letters XEA indicate an experimental advanced military version.

• Who helped with the construction?
  Mechanics and assistants: in short, all the staff of AeroTalleres Guarani worked under the direction of Mr. Walter Fagundez and mine.

• Is the plane still flying?
  It was donated to the Club de Vuelo Deportivo Yvytú(Yvytú Sports Flying Club) in San Bernardino and is still flying.

Technical data (provided byJosephRepka):

• Empty weight: 650 Kg
• Autonomy: 5 hours 45 minutes
• Payload: 600 Kg (bombs or rockets, placed under the wings).
• Wingspan: 10.70 m
• Length: 7.50 m
• Height: 2.93 m
• Glide Speed: 80 mph
• Stall speed: 47 mph full PLAP

Sources:

• http://archivo.abc.com.py/2006-06-13/articulos/258449/la-entrevista
• http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=85471&page=82

I've saved the two pictures and I'm attaching them here:

 

[walter]

Thanks Stéphane !
This photo shows the aircraft in 2011 during a fly-in. A different color schema. I think the Bonanza/Debonair ancestry is clear.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


here is some Beech APV.


https://archive.org/stream/missilesrockets1415unse#page/126/mode/2up

 

[hesham]

here is some Beech APV.

And anther page;


https://archive.org/stream/missilesrockets1419unse#page/n309/mode/2up

 

[hesham]

Hi,

a strange modification to Beech AT-11;

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000606443.html

 

[Jos Heyman]

I found a description of this aircraft on 1000aircraftphotos.com.
It was originally part of a batch of 24 AT-11s ordered by the Dutch government to be sent to the Netherlands East Indies but, as the Japanese invaded the NEI before delivery, the aircraft were delivered to the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School in Jackson, Mississippi (not Missouri as the website states) with fake USAAF serials in the 42-30xx range with the last two digits of the serials derived from the last two digits of the c/n.
1000aircraft photos continues:
"The pictured aircraft was completed on March 18, 1942, and delivered to the RNMFS on May 16, 1942, marked 42-3069. On February 20, 1944, the aircraft was returned to the USAAF and serialed 44-72015; in 1953 it was stored at Hill AFB, Salina, Kansas. On June 14, 1956 it was donated by the Department of Health, Education & Welfare to the Mississippi State College (in 1958 renamed Mississippi State University). Registered N6251C on July 30, 1956, it gained its experimental class CofA in August 1956. The University's Aerophysics Department used it as a flying classroom & airborne laboratory.

Painted overall in orange, the aircraft was modified in July 1959 to carry a blimp model above the fuselage testing aerodynamics for USN Goodyear blimps. Further modifications were an airspeed boom and a trailing airspeed cone. Aerodynamic test were also conducted on a Boeing Vertol 107 dummy helicopter pylon and rotor system. In 1968 it was fitted as a flying classroom with six test stations.

On August 18, 1980, the aircraft was acquired by George J. Wedekind Jr. of Middletown, Ohio, and a few weeks later, September 8, the aircraft was registered to the Heritage Flying Machines Inc., also at Middletown. In April 1982 the aircraft was repainted in its original RNMFS markings. On October 10, 1994, N6251C was registered to Star Aviation Inc. at Star, North Carolina, renamed Sport Air LLC on April 27, 2009. The aircraft is still airworthy and visiting air shows and providing group rides."
Photo of the aircraft with the blimp is enclosed.

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Jos.

 

[Stargazer]

I found a description of this aircraft on 1000aircraftphotos.com.
It was originally part of a batch of 24 AT-111s

Very interesting, thanks! I suppose you meant AT-11, not "AT-111" though... ;-)

 

[Jos Heyman]

Oops, I have corrected my typing error

 

[cthornburg929]

An earlier post talks about a Beech Bonanza mod for the USAF but no picture here's a picture. YAU-22A

Also I ran across a picture of a Bonanza with 2 engines but they were stacked one above the other. Unfortunately I didn't save it or know how to find it again.

 

[hesham]

Welcome aboard Cthornburg929,

and new Info about Bonanza with two engines ?.

 

[riggerrob]

The Beechcraft Model 34 Twin Quad is explained in detail by Randy Mertens’ book “Closet Cases” (Pilot News Press, Kansas City, Missouri,1980).
Beechcraft conceived the concept of a 20-seater feeder liner during WW2. The high-winged, V-tailed plane looked like a twin, but each propeller was driven by a pair of 8-cylinder, Lycoming GSO 580 engines buried in the wing and driving through a combining gearbox.
The program slowed after an electrical fire caused a crash on January 17, 1948. But what really killed the Beech Model 34 program was the vast numbers of military-surplus C-47s dumped on the market.

Mertens’ book also details the Beech Model 73 Jet Mentor and flightless Beech T-36A military trainer and transport.

 

[DDNM]

There is some really interesting material in the two Bonanza books written by Larry Ball: "Those Incomparable Bonanzas" and "They called Me Mr. Bonanza"

 

[Grey Havoc]

On another note:

Beechcraft U-21F (Model A 100)

A copy of the Beechcraft company brochure on the Beechcraft U-21F (Model A 100) aircraft. Credit: Box Art Download here or here or here...

aviationarchives.blogspot.com

 

[hesham]

From Aviation Magazine 1971,

a strange concepts ?!.

 

[Sundog]

From Aviation Magazine 1971,

a strange concepts ?!.

The first idea is being fulfilled by the new eVTOL class. The second idea looks fun to me.

 

[Ray]

Hey Jos: Fascinating information. One issue. " in 1953 it was stored at Hill AFB, Salina, Kansas" The AFB at Silina, Ks. was Schilling. Hill AFB is in Utah.

 

[Dynoman]

Beech X700, photos of mockup. The aircraft was designed in the late 1970s to supercede the King Air 90 and 200. This aircraft was designed with a circular fuselage instead of the characteristic King Air oval cross section. The mockup and plans were destroyed after Beech management turned its attention to another aircraft with an ambitious design. The Beechcraft Starship. https://airfactsjournal.com/2018/04/beech-x700-the-starship-that-could-have-been/

 

[Grey Havoc]

From a couple of days ago:

Beechcraft Model 34: 10 Years Ago Today.

A decade ago I was reading about this curious aircraft and its interesting “Twin-Quad” engine configuration. Right then I realised it could have been nice to share this kind of wonders I love so de…

elpoderdelasgalaxias.wordpress.com

 

[hesham]

From Aviation magazine 1979.

 

[hesham]

From Aviation magazine 1987,

The Beech Model-81 Project.

 

[endaamelia]

I worked on the Beech D33 when I was in MRO. A beauty of an aircraft. I was using plenty of PPG PS 870 B1 2 on it though, old faithful I used to call it.

 

[hesham]

Welcome aboard sister Endaamelia,

and can I ask you if there were a projects,derivative of it ?.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

The Beechcraft Model 34 Twin Quad is explained in detail by Randy Mertens’ book “Closet Cases” (Pilot News Press, Kansas City, Missouri,1980).
Beechcraft conceived the concept of a 20-seater feeder liner during WW2. The high-winged, V-tailed plane looked like a twin, but each propeller was driven by a pair of 8-cylinder, Lycoming GSO 580 engines buried in the wing and driving through a combining gearbox.
The program slowed after an electrical fire caused a crash on January 17, 1948. But what really killed the Beech Model 34 program was the vast numbers of military-surplus C-47s dumped on the market.

Mertens’ book also details the Beech Model 73 Jet Mentor and flightless Beech T-36A military trainer and transport.

Good Day All -

I spent two days at the Kansas Aviation Museum scanning photos and scanned the Model 34 folder - a few teasers attached. Will post more once I get them sorted out.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[jcf]

Decent new article on the Model 34 "Twin Quad" from Flying.
Model 34 "Twin Quad".

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All!

Back at the end of May, I spent a few days in the Kansas Aviation Museum archives scanning portions of their collection. The Model 34 folder happen to have an early brochure on the design - pages attached.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Mark Nankivil]

...and a few more scans for your perusal...

 

[OldManJoe]

Beech X700, photos of mockup. The aircraft was designed in the late 1970s to supercede the King Air 90 and 200. This aircraft was designed with a circular fuselage instead of the characteristic King Air oval cross section. The mockup and plans were destroyed after Beech management turned its attention to another aircraft with an ambitious design. The Beechcraft Starship. https://airfactsjournal.com/2018/04/beech-x700-the-starship-that-could-have-been/

These would have sold so many more of these than the Starship.

 

[Sundog]

Good Day All!

Back at the end of May, I spent a few days in the Kansas Aviation Museum archives scanning portions of their collection. The Model 34 folder happen to have an early brochure on the design - pages attached.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

Thanks! The information about the belly skids was all new to me. I thought that pic you posted of it belly landed was an accident, but now I realize it was most likely just a test. This aircraft is way more interesting than I had originally considered.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Thanks! The information about the belly skids was all new to me. I thought that pic you posted of it belly landed was an accident, but now I realize it was most likely just a test. This aircraft is way more interesting than I had originally considered

Beech X700, photos of mockup. The aircraft was designed in the late 1970s to supercede the King Air 90 and 200. This aircraft was designed with a circular fuselage instead of the characteristic King Air oval cross section. The mockup and plans were destroyed after Beech management turned its attention to another aircraft with an ambitious design. The Beechcraft Starship. https://airfactsjournal.com/2018/04/beech-x700-the-starship-that-could-have-been/

X700 has a lot of early Learjet look to it - the windshield and T-tail really stand out. Nice!

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Tonton-42]

...and a few more scans for your perusal...

Wow ! I really love this Beech Twin-Quad !

 

[hesham]

From Aviation Magazine 1971,

a strange concepts ?!.

From Interavia 1971.

 

[Stargazer]

From Interavia 1971.

Already shared in comment #60!

 

[Stargazer]

...and a few more scans for your perusal...

Thank you so much, Mark, for all the great material on the Twin Quad!

 

[hesham]

Hi,

Beechcraft Twin Quad: A 'Feederliner' That Almost Was - FLYING Magazine

Following World War II, Beechcraft reasoned that a small, modernized civil airliner was just what the industry needed.

www.flyingmag.com