Can someone explain all the different types of C-45 noses?

[Nathan]

Can someone explain to me the different types of nose cones found on C-45s/SNB's? I have a SNB-5 nose cone with two landing lights. I've looked at many SNB-5 photos and most don't have the lights. To add to my curiosity, why does it seem there are so many different style of nose cones?


mine:

[b29driver]

The Beech 18/C-45 was one of the most modified types ever.

When the surplus C-45's hit the civilian market the list of mods/STC's was astounding. The refurbished C-45's competed with the factory for sales.

As to nose cones and landing lights, here's the story. The E model was the first not to have retractable landing lights in the wings. The E model and later had them in the leading edge of the wings. The retractable lights work great, but require speeds below 120 MPH to extend and operate They have a restriction of not operating simultaneously when operating the landing gear or flaps. When extended the landing lights cause a buffet of the ailerons too which is no really big deal, but quite noticeable.

The taxi/landing lights in the nose was a way to do away with or augment the retractable lights without cutting a new hole in the leading edge of the wing.

Many STC's included a more pointed fiberglass nose cone with lights. The fiberglass cone was also a must for airborne weather radar installations.

High gross kits for the civilian C-45's had full feathering Hartzell or Ham Standard props, modified cowlings, intake and induction, exhaust, landing gear doors, wing tips, tail angle of incidence and fairings, tail wheels, fuel systems and a host of small internal mods too numerous to mention.

[Neal Nurmi]

So is this an example of the pointed nose cone referred to in your post, b29driver?

[b29driver]

Yes. Notice the short exhaust pipes, external intake scoop, modified cowling outlets and horizontal stabilizer flush with top of fuselage. Wing tips appear to be the extended factory type, I can't tell for sure from photo. The twin rudder trim tabs indicate a D-18 or a C-45 fitted with a D-18 tail. One piece windshield and filler door for "nostril" fuel tank.

Pitot tube is in nose bowl. I haven't seen that before, but I am guessing that is peculiar to the float planes to keep spray out of it.

Most likely a 9800# gross if it was on rollers. I am not authority on the float mods.

[Neal Nurmi]

Thank you -- I've wondered about that nose for over a decade. I've been told that this aircraft has since been sold and repainted, and that a more conventional nose has been fitted.

Good thing from my point of view, as I find this pointed nose quite unattractive...

[Taigh Ramey]

Very cool photos Neil. I just got back last night from flying GNR with Brad Blois from Campbell River, BC to Belgium via: Goose Bay, Greenland, Iceland and Scotland. Here is a photo of her with her current nose that looks a lot better than the one back in her Green Airways days:

At Campbell River, Vancouver BC



Moored in the fiord in Narsarsuaq, Greenland or Bluie West One, originally built as a WWII airfield for the aircraft crossing the Atlantic on their way to the European theater of operations.

The runway is just visible on the left edge of the photo



Loc Watten, Scotland



At a lake near her new home in Belgium.



She was a big hit there and lots of people and all of the media turned out to welcome her. They said that this was the first time a sea plane had landed in Belgium. I find that hard to believe and maybe I misunderstood. Maybe it was the first to land on this particular lake. Bob Parmerter said it was the first time a Beech 18 on pure floats had crossed the Atlantic under her own power as the others were on the deck of a ship. Anyway it was quite the trip.

Last edited by Taigh Ramey on Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Neal Nurmi]

MUCH better like that! It really needed repainting too -- Hugh had let that paint go too long.

Thanks Taigh.

I've been thinking about doing a thread on Beech 18s on floats. A Twin Beech on floats is the best looking float plane ever. They just look right...

[Fouga23]

You flew it? Cool. You've been all over the news here the last few weeks! We indeed normally don't have seaplane operations in Belgium. Don't think we have seaplane runways also. They had to get a special temporary permit for the lake for you guys to land

[vernicator]

So what is the reason for this goofy looking mod I've seen on a handful of Beech 18s?

[ALOHADAVE]

That Son of a Beech is a liar just like Pinocchio!

[Taigh Ramey]

I thought these aircraft were from the corporate fleet for Pfizer. I could be wrong...

[Warbird Kid]

I thought these aircraft were from the corporate fleet for Pfizer. I could be wrong...