Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.
Today’s Top Pick is a 1952 Beechcraft C45H.
The silhouette of a Beechcraft C45H might not be quite as recognizable as the hourglass shape of a classic Coca-Cola bottle, but pilots know the airplane when they see it. And deep down, they would love to fly one.
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As an antique, taildragger with two radial engines, the Beechcraft embodies several aviation challenges, though it also is accommodating, fast, and versatile enough to make a strong case for being practical.
Better-known as the Model 18 or simply the “Twin Beech,” this World War II-era twin-tail transport for decades has cut a distinctive figure across the sky at air shows, fly-ins, and big-screen roles from 1963’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World to 2019’s Ford v Ferrari. Many would argue that it looks the way an airplane ought to look, even though that argument would have been stronger in, say, 1952.
The aircraft for sale today has an updated panel and other features that bring it solidly into the 21st century. It is easy to imagine one’s family relaxing in the roomy, refurbished cabin while you, the pilot, make the initial call to ATC. Can you hear the controller now, asking, “Did you say, Twin Beech?”
[Holstein Aviation]
This 1952 Beechcraft C45H has 4,839 hours on the airframe, 10 hours since overhaul on each of its 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engines, and 1,431 hours since overhaul on each of its Hamilton Standard 22D30 two-blade propellers.
The aircraft is equipped with Airwolf oil filters, Aerospace Products spar kit, engine sump drain kits, AmSafe seat belts, and Gill GE-51C 24-volt batteries. Usable fuel capacity is 296 gallons. The aircraft comes with additional equipment, including jacks for the main landing gear and tailwheel, a tug, and a tow bar.
The IFR panel includes a Garmin GTN 650 GPS/nav/com, Garmin GA 35 GPS WAAS antenna, GI 106A CDI, King KX 155A nav/com, King KMA 24 audio, GTX 330 transponder, KT 76A transponder, Century 3 coupled autopilot, dual glideslopes, WX-8 Stormscope, Shadin digital fuel flow computer, and dual EGTs.
Pilots looking for a handsome and capable mid-20th-century piston twin with a modern panel and beautifully restored interior should check out this 1952 Beechcraft C45H, which is available for $359,000 on AircraftForSale.
If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use our airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.
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