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Beechcraft Twin Bonanza




The Beechcraft Model 50 Twin Bonanza was designed as an executive transport for the business market and a utility transport for the U.S. Army . Superficially, it resembles the Beechcraft Travel Air , a twin-engine variant of the Twin Bonanza's smaller namesake, the Bonanza . The Travel Air later was developed into the highly successful Baron series of aircraft, some of which are still in production to this day. The Twin Bonanza was about 50% larger, heaver and more powerful than the Travel Air and could not be considered to be a true "twin bonanza" other than in name.


DEVELOPMENT

The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza is one of the most successful civil aircraft, in production since 1947 . It stands to reason that a twin-engine variant would follow. However, the Twin Bonanza is not a variant of the Bonanza. That distinction goes to the Travel Air and the Baron . In fact, if there ever was a ''true'' Twin Bonanza ( V-tail and all) it was a twin-engine conversion made by Bay Aviation - the Super "V" Bonanza . The Beechcraft Twin Bonanza is half-again the size of the single-engine Bonanza.

In 1952 the Twin Bonanza was produced as a utility transport for the U.S. Army . It was also the first twin-engine aircraft in its class to be offered to the business market. The U.S. Army adopted the Twin Bonanza as the L-23 and it became the largest fixed-wing aircraft in Army operation.


SPECIFICATIONS (E50)

  plane Or Copter plane
  jet Or Prop prop
  crew One or two pilots
  capacity Up to five passengers
  length Main 31 ft 6 in
  length Alt 961 m
  span Main 45 ft 3 in
  span Alt 1378 m
  height Main 11 ft 6 in
  height Alt 351 m
  area Main 277 ft&2
  area Alt 257 m&2
  empty Weight Main 5,010 lb
  empty Weight Alt 2,272 kg
  loaded Weight Main kg
  loaded Weight Alt lb
  max Takeoff Weight Main 4,796 lb
  max Takeoff Weight Alt 2,175 kg
  engine (prop) Lycoming GSO-480 -B1B6
  number Of Props 2
  power Main 316 hp
  power Alt 236 kW
  max Speed Main 229 mph
  max Speed Alt 366 km/h
  range Main 1,000 mi
  range Alt 1,600 km
  ceiling Main 24,606 ft
  ceiling Alt 7,500 m
  climb Rate Main 1,614 ft/min
  climb Rate Alt 82 m/s
  loading Main lb/ft&2
  loading Alt kg/m&2
  power/mass Main hp/lb
  power/mass Alt kW/kg




MILITARY OPERATORS

  • Chile, Colombia, Jordan, Pakistan, Switzerland, United States Army.



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