went airplane hunting

[Citabria86614]

I went and visted a beech 18 on top of a gas station today. Was put there in the 1980s. Have photos but dont know how to post them. It looked in reletivly good condition. No engines. The person who ran the shop says here son put it up there and he used to run cargo with it. No n number and data plate was covered with paint. The person behinf the counter said,"He took it down and painted it one time but it aint mine so you wont ever see me do that." I doubt thus poor bird will ever be saved.

Edit:p.s anyone have an idea of what model this beech 18 is.

Last edited by Citabria86614 on Sat Nov 10, 2007 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Citabria86614]

reasearching to try to find out what year it is. here are the pics

[Citabria86614]

ohh yeah I took around 40 just didnt want to put them all up

[L. Thompson]

I think they only used those type props on the first prototype so you found a real treasure!

But, you better pass on it cause you don't want to meet up with the spider that built the web under the right gear. BTW, ever wonder about how many black widows must have been found hiding inside projects that sat around California many years? A couple of California pilots (Sherm Cooper and I think maybe Bevo Howard) were bitten by them while out flying regularly flown airplanes. Just my little phobia from early years hangin' out around Merced and Chowchilla airports among others.

[Citabria86614]

yeah those props sure are one of a kind. That is not a spiderweb. It is mesh he put to keep the birds out. I always wondered what knid of bugs and animals have been found in old airplanes.

[Citabria86614]

Here is a few more pics.

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

Are those trim tabs on the props???????????????? Lol

[Taigh Ramey]

The early landing gear legs and inboard wing leading edges tell me it is a WWII Beechcraft my guess being a C-45F or possibly a navy SNB-2 or 3. It could be a purely civilian Beech C-18 but those are pretty rare.

She doesn't have a spar strap so she hasn't likely flown since 1972 or so. It was typical of the time when the spar strap became a requirement a lot of Beech 18's were deemed unworthy of the expense. The engines were sold off and the airframe became derelict and was often scrapped.

[Citabria86614]

Thank you for the info. I love your website(twinbeech.com). That is probably why they put it up there. The family who runs the gas station had two that they ran cargo with. This was one of them. I love the looks of the beech 18.

[mrhenniger]

I don't think anyone has actually said where this is. Details anyone?

Mike

[Citabria86614]

It is near Eva,AL on Eva road.

[mrhenniger]

I don't have this one in the Locator (http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Locator.php).

Google Sat images in that area are about 50/50, i.e. not the worst, but not the best either. Is it north or south of where Eva Road meets route 55? About how far from the intersection?

Thanks in advance.

Mike

[Citabria86614]

LAT: 34.3013°

LONG: -86.793°


You cant see the plane but you can see a strip behind the gas station.

[mrhenniger]

Thanks!

Mike