Local Legends #5 Available Now - Beechcraft Model 18

Thank you, Collen!

Here is another repaint of mine which is now available. It depicts the restored C-45H Expeditor N9550Z, which is based in the Czech Republic. This aircraft was originally manufactured during World War Two as an AT-11 Kansan for the US Army Air Force, with USAAF Serial No. 41-27425 - therefore it was originally fitted with a top turret, bomb bay, and bomb sight installed within a glass nose for use in bombing & gunnery training. In the early 1950s, after having been pulled out of post-war storage, it was one of hundreds of AT-11s that were sent back to Beechcraft and remanufactured as a purely transport variant, designated as a C-45H Expeditor, and given the USAF Serial No. 52-10656. In the 1990s it was restored in the color scheme of the USAF Military Air Transport Service (MATS) and was initially named "Elaine", but this was changed to "The Redhead" following its sale to Paul Stockman of Denton, North Carolina in 1999. In 2010, the C-45 was reportedly sold a new owner in Denmark, though the aircraft has since been based in the Czech Republic at the Letiste Mnichovo Hradiste Airport in Hoskovice, Central Bohemia. It has been able to remain on the US register through being registered to the Texas-based owner trustee named Aircraft Guaranty.

https://flightsim.to/file/36031/beechcraft-c-45h-the-redhead-n9550z









 
After having made my last repaint, "The Redhead", in larger 8K resolution, I decided to also remake my repaint of N12718 in 8K resolution as well. While doing so, I've also made a few adjustments/refinements. I have now updated the repaint on Flightsim.to, and when you download it you have the option of installing either the (stock) 4K resolution textures, or the higher resolution 8K textures (both versions feature the new refinements). https://flightsim.to/file/35757/beechcraft-uc-45j-epeditor-buno-39750-n12718



 
WARNING: Do not, under any circumstances, never ever, open the cockpit side window while the aircraft is in flight. The aircraft will be over-stressed and your flight will end. Ask me how I know. So then I went in search of the manual to see if any light could be shed on this. Of course I didn't read the manual before takeoff, what fun would that be? That's when I discovered that there is no manual included. Interesting. But the real manual includes, as part of the pre-takeoff checklist, "doors and windows closed". That makes sense, but there is no dire warning about leaving the windows open. Some airplanes, like the P-38, do warn about not rolling down the side window in flight, as it will cause tail buffet. Is this true of the 18 as well?
 
Just for that sort of reason, I always have airframe stress damage and crashes turned off - an open window isn't going to "overstress" anything but maybe the window itself, and in reality, with the Beech 18, that isn't the case either. (Also, with crashes turned off, if you do happen to crash it is a lot more fun/entertaining, as you can actuallu watch the aircraft tumble and cartwheel, end up upside down, nose down into the weeds, etc., rather than just going to a black screen - and using slew, you can reset the aircraft and start again, rather than having to go back through the main menu.)

Those windows on the Beech 18, especially the front quarter window on the pilot's side, were meant to be able to be opened in flight so that you could defog the windows and wipe down the front of the pilot-side windshield, while in flight, if need be.

There are plenty of photos and video on the web of Beech 18s flying with the windows slid open. Just a few examples here:

http://www.flugzeuginfo.net/acimages/beech_t7_kp.jpg
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/J018XM/ae...-18-aircraft-flying-over-reefs-off-J018XM.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/130687305@N06/51432247610/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/egcb_egcc/42331775502/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsnFUzV1jUs (a whole flight filmed with the side window slid open)

 
It is great to see it coming along, and it really looks excellent, Paul! I've been looking forward to flying it in those colors of the Younkin family's plane.
 
Hi Paul, yes it is located here (where the red circle is). The other, similar-looking scoop on this texture sheet covers both of the other two scoops on top of the fuselage.
 

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heywooood said:
hum baby that's nice! I'm always looking out for a new TDR paint...it needs to be said I suppose that as good as the planes looked in FSX, they just look a thousand times better in MSFS
Click to expand...

MSFS allows for the paint to have paint shine and metal to have metal shine, the two glossies are different as in real life as are the reflections.
 
Hey guys, just got back from a trip and got to finally get this aircraft. Thanks again for all the great skins. This is a beautiful bird, and your work is amazing. I don’t want to spam these threads with thanks, but I do appreciate al your hard work.
 
Stencil mystery

Does anyone have a real life closeup photo of the rear exit area? Post war perhaps, there is some stenciling written there, and on the door itself, I don't have a clear shot to make out what it says.

Doug


D-18 Stencils.jpg
 
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