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United States' Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor transport¹
Beechcraft A-7 Navigator trainer¹
Beechcraft A-11 Kansan trainer¹

Design

The Beechcraft C-45 started out as the Model 18 light transport.¹ It was the standard navigator and bombardier trainer for the United States.¹

In 1943 the C-45's name was changed to UC-45 and named Expeditor.¹

Prototype

The Model 18 first flew on January 15, 1937.¹

Production

Production lasted until 1969.¹ Around 1,800 of the more than 9,100 were delivered after the war.¹

C-45: 11¹
C-45A: 20¹
C-45B: 223¹
C-45F: 1,137¹
AT-7: 1,112¹
AT-7A: 6¹
AT-11: 1,582¹
F-2: 56¹
JRB: 280¹
SNB: 1,244¹
Total Model 18: >9,100¹

Variants

C-45:
C-45A:
C-45B:
C-45F:
AT-7: Used for navigator training.¹
AT-7A: Floatplane.¹
AT-11: Used for bombing / gunnery training.¹
F-2: Photo reconnaissance.¹
JRB: The Marine Corps name for their version of the C-45.¹
SNB-1: The Marine Corps name for their version of the AT-11 Kansan.¹
SNB-2: The Marine Corps name for their version of the AT-7.¹

Usage

The Beechcrafts were used by Canada, China, United Kingdom, and United States.¹

United States Army Air Force First Use

In 1940 the Beechcraft Model 18 was first used by the United States Army Air Force.¹ Eleven Model 18s (designated the C-45) were ordered for staff tranports.¹

Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy

430 C-45s were delivered to the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.¹

	Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor¹	Beechcraft A-11 Kansan¹
Type	Transport¹	Trainer¹
Crew
Passenger	8¹
Engine (Type)	2: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 Wasp Junior¹
Cylinders	Radial 9¹
Cooling
HP	450 each¹
Propeller blades
Dimensions
Span	47' 8"¹ 14.53 m¹
Length	34' 3"¹ 10.44 m¹
Height	9' 8"¹ 2.95 m¹
Wing area
Weight
Empty		6,175 lb¹ 2,800 kg¹
Loaded		8,727 lb¹ 3,958 kg¹
Performance
Speed	215 mph¹ 346 kph¹
Cruising speed	160 mph¹ 257 kph¹
Climb to 10,000' / 3,050 m	10.1 minutes¹
Service ceiling	20,000'¹ 6,095 m¹
Range	850 miles¹ 1,368 km¹
Armament
Cargo
OR
OR
OR
Production

Sources:

Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998