Beech C-45J Expediter

Beech Aircraft first introduced the Model 18 light twin engine aircraft to the civilian market in late 1937. With the outbreak of World War II, the Army Air Corps ordered 11 aircraft. Quickly realizing their full potential, the C-45 was ordered in large quantities to provide the coming flood of new airmen with a suitable training aircraft. Although used primarily as a transport aircraft, the C-45 was also produced in the AT-7 navigational training, AT-ll weapons training and the F-2 photo-reconnaissance versions.

The museum’s C-45J was a U.S. Navy aircraft, BUNO number 44588. It was surplused by the Air Force in the early 1960’s and operated for a number of years under civilian registration. It was flown to the museum on May 1, 1981, from Moore Field, TX, logging 10.1 flight hours. Total flight time for this aircraft is 13,400 hours.(Note: in the past, we have mis-identified this aircraft with the following: serial numbers and model types: BUNO 54-4588 or 52-10588, model JRB-4, model SNB-5, and model C-45F Navigator).This aircraft is on loan from the USAF.