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Tradewinds Beech D-18

H

Helldiver

Charter Member 09
I came across an airplane I had never seen before. A Tradewinds conversion of a D-18. Now this plane first flew in 1937, They lengthened the nose, put it on tricyle landing gear and gave her a single tail. She would take her place right along wth all the GA aircraft of today.

View attachment 13688
 
Neither have I ,but it's a good looking plane.Sure would be nice if one of our talented dev's around here would build one. Just a little hint.:icon_lol:
 
Brian Gladden built one for FS9.


<table align="center" bgcolor="#cceeff" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" align="left">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Category: Flight Simulator 2004 - Original Aircraft[/FONT] </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" width="*"> [FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Beech 18 Volpar [/FONT]</td> <td align="right" nowrap="nowrap"> <!-- --> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> [FONT=verdana, sans-serif] File Description:
The Beech 18 was one of Beechcraft's most enduring designs. In production from the late 1930's until the early 60's many are still in use all over the world. This plane represents a late Model Super H with the Volpar Trigear conversion. The Volpar kit added an extended nose and converted the plane to a tri-gear configuration rather than the stock taildragger landing gear. Features: Full FS 2004 control surface animation, Opening door (shift-E) Dynamic shine, Reflective textures, Panel, Virtual cockpit, Rolling wheels and of course full lighting. A paint kit is also included and repaints are encouraged but please only upload textures, not the whole plane. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]
[/FONT]<table align="center" bgcolor="#cceeff" border="0" width="50%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Filename:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]volpar.zip[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]License:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Freeware, limited distribution[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Added:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]12th October 2004[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Downloads:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]10673[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Author:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Brian Gladden[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Size:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]5574kb[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
[FONT=verdana, sans-serif] [/FONT]<hr> <table align="center" bgcolor="#cceeff" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="left"> [FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Category: Flight Simulator 2004 - Original Aircraft[/FONT] </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" width="*"> [FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Beechcraft Model 18 Volpar on Amphibious Floats [/FONT]</td> <td align="right" nowrap="nowrap"> <!-- --> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>
[FONT=verdana, sans-serif] File Description:
The Beech 18 was one of Beechcraft's most enduring designs. In production from the late 1930's until the early 60's many are still in use all over the world. This plane represents a late Model Super H with the Volpar Trigear conversion that has been further modified with International Aeroproducts 8100 series Amphibious floats [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]
[/FONT] <table align="center" bgcolor="#cceeff" border="0" width="50%"><tbody><tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Filename:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]volpar_amphib.zip[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]License:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Freeware, limited distribution[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Added:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]26th October 2004[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Downloads:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]6440[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Author:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Brian Gladden[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Size:[/FONT]</td> <td width="75%">[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]4847kb[/FONT]</td></tr></tbody></table>
 
I was doing some flying IRL out of Ft Pierce FL (KFPR) a month or so ago and saw one of these aircraft approach and land. Think the conversion is "Pacific Airmotive Tradewinds". Was great to see - not to mention hear - essentially a radial powered Beech 18 up close. This is one of the best looking 18 conversions IMHO.
htthttp://www.airliners.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewind/0185573/M/p://www.airliners.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewind/0185573/M/ http://www.airliners.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmoti
wind/0185573/Mhttp://www.airliners.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewind/0185573/&sid=77eaf4c6dc6301c62972f1b3683c62af
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewind/0185573/M
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewind/0185573/M/
http://www.airliners.net/photo/http://www.airliner
s.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewin http://www.airliners.net/photo/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewind/0185573/Md/0185573/M/Denali-Air/Pacific-Airmotive-Tradewind/0185573/M/
 
As the flow of war surplus C-45's dwindled Beech decided to update the airframe and produced the E-18/G-18 (raised the cabin top, larger windows, taller tail-gear, squared wingtips).

A couple of companies worked on a tri-gear conversion to satisfy a more modern market and eventually the mod was applied even to C-45/D-18 airframes. Beech saw the value and included it as a factory option for the Model H-18, selling quite a few.

Pacific Airmotive took it one step further and rebuilt the tail ( the vertical stab. is essentially a E-18 horizontal stab turned on end).

The progression of the changes is shown in this picture:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled-%28Kamaka-Air%29/Beech-E18S/1140608/M/
(Front to rear- E-18, Tradewind, D/E/H-18 TriGear)

As is often the case there were mods done to other versions - lengthened fuselages, wingtip mods, cabin mods, cockpit 'doors' (so cargo pilots could enter/exit without crawling over boxes) to the point where you almost need the logs to figure out what has been done to individual aircraft.
http://www.twinbeech.com/beech18differences.htm

added: While the Tradewind was perhaps the best-looking version of a modded Beech 18, this could well be the worst!!!
http://www.airliners.net/photo/A.E.-Colombia/Beech-E18S/1254730/M/


(Is there a reason I've been doing the research? hmmmm)

Rob
 
I don't know doodley-squat about drawing an aircraft for FSX but would it be too hard the take Miltons Shupe's excellant D-18 and make the changes reqiured to make the Tradewinds version?
 
To further thicken the plot of Twin-Beech modifications, here is a wind tunnel model I worked on last semester. We took the basic C-45/D-18S model (c. 1945) and "modernized" it a bit; sort of a King Air C-90/D-18 hybrid. Interestingly enough, the Model 18 and the modern King Air series use the same airfoil cross sections for the root (NACA 23018) and tips (NACA 23012) of the wings.

web.jpg
 
Helldiver said:
I don't know doodley-squat about drawing an aircraft for FSX but would it be too hard the take Miltons Shupe's excellant D-18 and make the changes reqiured to make the Tradewinds version?
Click to expand...

Anyone who wants the gmax source to do this is welcome to it. Panel and texture mapping would have to be redone from scratch.

Yes, once you change the nose, the windshield, the windows, replace the tail section, and add the nose gear, you have pretty much redone the aircraft. Only the engines and main gear are of use IMO.

When I started the AT-11, I thought it would be a breeze to convert. I ended up redoing most of the aircraft, exterior and interior, new mapping, textures and panels. I started it last August and have probably 600 hours in it, and requires another 100 to complete. :-/ The new models have about 1200 parts in total.
 
I'll admit that the tricycle gear conversion is a very handsome plane, but frankly, from hat first pic aboove, the original tail dragger is far better looking than the rest..
 
Something that seems very certain is that there is a considerable market for general aviation aircraft with the capabilities and performance range of aircraft originally manufactured thirty to forty years ago.

This tell me that frankly the current generation of GA manufacturers really should have kept their types more wide.

Viking Aircraft is making brand new Twin Otters and Otters.

You see this conversion by Tradewinds.

C-130's are still being rolled off the Lockheed-Martin assembly line!

And of course, one of my greatest "what if's" is what if Cessna had come back from its near bankruptcy in 1985 and again manufactured the 310R?

Ken
 
Milton Shupe said:
Yes, once you change the nose (lengthen & reshape), the windshield, the windows (roofline was raised about 6" with all the associated bits enlarged, extended or modified), replace the tail section, and add the nose gear, (plus cutting a new airstair door and maybe a new cargo door as well if wanted, modify the wingtips to the square version and a new panel for both 2D and VC) you have pretty much redone the aircraft. Only the engines and main gear are of use IMO. (and the mains are relocated to the rear spar to retract forward - so anim. has to be changed as well)
Click to expand...

As well, the FDE would need a small set of tweaks to accommodate the changed CofG, gross weights and adjusted rudder forces and lateral area of the fin. Contact points, ground angle...

Might explain why PacAirmotive didn't sell many. However, it did lead Beechcraft, which ended Model 18 production in 1963 to build the QueenAir 65 (1965) which lead to the QA80, then the -90 and on to the present KingAir 350. So it is indeed a piece of history that may attract a modeller.

Of course we don't have to ignore the twin-tail versions along the way until we hit the "UGLY barrier" again with the Rausch "headroom" mod
View attachment 13819
and the Dumodliner II which had a 15 ft fuselage extension but both were based on the D18 fuselage structure
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Unkn...0486880/&sid=287bdd51b14bc456cb6483f234bb04d8

I'd think a new, from-scratch E18/Tradewind model would be a year or so down the pipeline, if it were to be done.
 
View attachment 13838

Best looking Beech 18 I ever saw. This airplane belonged to the president of the company I worked for. Rumor has it that this was the recipient of the last Volpar kit built. I believe she was an Oshkosh award winner.
 
Helldiver said:
Or the best looking Cessna of all, the C-177 Cardinal.
Click to expand...

I'm partial to the 310, but you are right -- the Cardinal is a very aesthetically pleasing aircraft to look at!

Saw one at Kerrvile, TX last weekend when I was waiting to pick up my medical patient and her family. It was a cherry 177RG and it looked awesome! White with red and black trim with a very nice picture of the red cardinal on the vertical stabilizer. Interior was a nice tan leather!

Without the struts and the retract gear, it makes for a very streamlined look.

Ken
 
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