Beechcraft C-45H N314WN

BEECHCRAFT C-45H N314WN

This Beechcraft began life in World War two as a Navigation trainer. She was built for the United States Army Air Forces as an AT-7 “Navigator” and was delivered to the Navigation School at Hondo Army Air Force Base in Texas on the 8^th of March, 1943. Her Beech construction number was 4344 and she was given the AAF serial number of 42-56725. Below is a photo of three SNB-2C (AT-7’s) Navigation trainers. This is what she looked like in WWII.

She continued to train Navigators through WWII and after the war she went back to the Beechcraft factory for major overhaul and upgrades for the U.S. Air Force. She returned to duty on November 30, 1953 with a new designation of C-45H and a new serial number of 52-10636. She then served with the Strategic Air Command in the 805^th Air Base Group at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. She went to the 806^th Air Base Group, also a SAC base at Lake Charles, Louisiana in September of 1955. In October of 1955 she transferred to the 3800^th Air Base Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base. In August of 1956 she returned to the 806^th Air Base Group until she was sent to Davis Monthan Air Force base for retirement and storage in the bone yard in Tucson, Arizona.

In December of 1958 she was stricken from the Air Force inventory and was transferred to the Washington Natural Resources Department in Olympia Washington where she began her civilian career. She first carried the civil registration number of N7163C and was given her current registration (N314WN) on the 15^th of June 1962. She went through several owners, both individual and corporate, where she received many different modifications. The biggest modification that she went through was the “Modernization Kit” from Beechcraft that gave her a taller cabin. Other noticeable modifications are the picture windows; the engine carburetor scoops and exhaust were upgraded along with the cockpit and cabin interior. Today she is owned by John Hannigan. John was in the U.S. Navy and ran the engine room of the Battleship USS Iowa during the Korean War. John is a pilot who loves Warbirds and he loves this Beech more than anything... well almost anything. Thanks John for taking care of this flying piece of history!

She has come a long way from her days as a Navigation trainer in 1943. Instead of teaching fledgling Navigators how to find their way, she is now teaching history. Come along for a flight back in time to hear and feel what it was like for those wonderful people from our Greatest Generation.

KEEP ‘EM FLYING…FOR HISTORY

WWW.TWINBEECH.COM

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA

Here is John Hannigan flying This wonderful old Beech.

Click on an image for a larger picture

C-45H N314WN Serial No. 52-10636

Pratt and Whitney R-985-14-B engines (short stacks) with Hamilton Standard 22D30-15 Propellers

Airframe TTAF 11,791

Right Engine TSMOH 953

Left Engine TSMOH 664

Last spar inspection 10,366.4 Hrs.

Wing spar strap modification Dee Howard Installation (1963)

Modern instrument panel with standard 6 flight instruments for pilot and copilot including Egt, Cylinder Head Temp

Avionics also include: (Aircraft is IFR Equipped but not current)

Collins Audio Panel/Audio Beacon (AMR 350)

2 Collins Com radios ( VHF 251)

2 Collins Nav radios (VIR 351)…( 1 Nav head with glide slope and 1 nav head w/o glide slope)

IND 350A VOR/LOC Indicator

IND351A VOR/LOC/Glide Slope Indicator

GLS 350 Glide Slope Receiver

2412-20 Astron 20 amp Converter

King KT 76 transponder

18486G-01 6 place David Clark Isocom

Apollo 428-2003 Blind Encoder Encoding Altimeter

Airframe modified by State of Washington as Super G-18 (1964)….wingtips, high cabin, windscreen, tall tail wheel, short stacks and angle of incidence on horizontal stabilizer, high speed gear doors, extended nose.

5 fuel tanks….(1) 47 Gals in nose, (2) 78 Gal main tanks and (2) 25 Gal rear tanks….253 Gals total.

Main landing gear…..Walking Beam type

Cleveland wheels and brakes

Metalized Ailerons, Elevators and flaps…Fabric rudders

Custom polish markings and finishing available

Cabin has:

5 original C45-H metal seats with modern upholstery and seat belts

overhead lights

Factory picture window modification kit

aft storage area with shelf

For more information please call or e-mail us at:

(209) 982-0273