Beech Aircraft C-45, AT-7, AT-11

Source: Wiki

The C-45 was a utility/cargo and trainer monoplane produced by the Beech Aircraft Company of Whichita, Kansas for Army transport (C-45), Navy tranport (UC-45J) and Royal Air Force (RAF). It had many versions, such at the AT-7, AT-10 and AT-11 used as Army pilot, navigator and bombadier trainers and the equivalent SNB series used as Navy trainers. It first flew on January 15, 1937 as a civilian utility airplane called the Beechcraft Model 18. Its success is indicated by its production in as many as 40 versions used around the world until production ended in 1970. Many are in use today for spraying, firefighting, mail service, etc. The C-45 had two pilots, two Pratt & Whitney air cooled, 9-cylinder 450 hp R-985 Wasp Junior radial engines, room for 6 passengers or about 1,300 pounds of freight, max. speed of 225 mph, range of 1,200 miles at 160 mph.

Note: The original Beech aircraft was the civilian Model 17 biplane that was produced for the Army and Navy in WWII as the C-43 and UC-43, respectively. It was also sold to other nations.

C-45 - Six seat staff transport

C-45A - Eight seat utility transport

C-45F - Standardised 7-seat version with a longer nose than preceding models. Expeditor II and III were C-45Fs supplied to the RAF and Royal Navy under Lend-Lease.

AT-7 - Navigator was a Navigation trainer with an astrodome and positions for three students.

AT-7A - Floatplane version of AT-7.

AT-7B - Winterized AT-7.

AT-7C - Improved version.

AT-10 - A wooden frame aircraft to save aluminum called the C-43 by the military.

AT-11 Kansan - Bombing and gunnery trainer for USAAF derived from the AT-7. The fuselage had a small circular cabin windows, bombardier position in nose, and bomb bay. It was fitted with 2 machine guns, one in nose and one in a dorsal gun turret.

AT-11A - Conversion of AT-11 as navigation trainer.

F-2 - Photo-reconnaissance version.

JRB-1 - Photographic aircraft for the US Navy. Was fitted with fairing over cockpit for improved visibility.

JRB-2 - Light transport for the US Navy

JRB-3 - Photographic version similar to C-45B built for Navy.

JRB-4 - Utility transport version built for Navy.

SNB-1 - Variant similar to the AT-11 built for the US Navy.

SNB-2 - Navigation trainer similar to the AT-7 built for the US Navy.

SNB-2C - Variant similar to the AT-7C built for the US Navy.

SNB-2H - Ambulance conversion for the US Navy.

SNB-2P - Photo reconnaissance trainer for the US Navy.

SNB-3 - Variant similar to the AT-7C built for the US Navy.

SNB-3Q - Electronic counter-measures trainer built for the US Navy.

SNB-5P - Photographic-reconnaissance trainer built for the US Navy.