3N D18S Expeditor 1426

"In 1950, the RCAF needed additional aircraft for its expanding training
program, which included commitments under the NATO Pact to train aircrews in
all sorts of trades from other nations.  The program needed a versatile
aircraft – one that was capable of being a multi-engine trainer, a
navigational trainer, a personnel transport, but most importantly a
combination of the last two.

A number of production aircraft from countries all over the world were
tested and evaluated to fit the RCAF’s requirements.  After a lot of
research, it was obvious that the Beech Aircraft Corporation had the
aircraft that satisfied the requirements of the RCAF.

As a result, in April of 1951 it was announced that Beech Aircraft
Corporation had won its largest foreign contact to date: a multi-million
dollar contract for 280 military Model D18S or Expeditor 3s.

A-601 was the very first serial number that Beech assigned to first airplane
in the large order placed by the RCAF, as well as a separate special RCAF
serial number block  - CA-1.

The model of Beechcraft that Time Travel Air owns was a model that was one
of three models made specifically for the RCAF.  Specifically, the aircraft
is a 3N.  That meant that she was a navigational trainer (N) with an
astrodome and two seats available in the cabin for training navigator
students.

This particular aircraft was delivered on August 23, 1951 and the last of
the 280 Expeditors was delivered to the RCAF in March 1953.  The airplanes
were very similar to new production civilian D18S models, but with some
important differences.

These differences were:

i) having an astrodome in the cabin roof (or provision for one);
ii) interior navigational training equipment a flare gun hole just behind
the co-pilot’s skylight window
iii) thicker skin over the main and auxiliary fuel tanks on the wing inboard
center section.
iv) a 600 lb increased gross weight - which was specific for this order.
(This boosted the gross weight of the aircraft to 9300 lbs.)

Also, the RCAF supplied the engines.  The MacDonald Brothers removed P&W
R-985s from surplus RCAF Avro Ansons, and after being overhauled they were
shipped to Wichita to be mounted on the new Expeditors.  Production for the
RCAF had been planned at 25 Expeditors per month.  However, Hamilton
Standard was able to deliver Hydromatic propellers for only 15 aircraft per
month.  To fulfil the production order, Beech bought surplus Hamilton
Standard constant-speed propellers and installed them until Hydromatic
production caught up.

What’s interesting to keep in mind is that of the 280 airplanes ordered by
the RCAF, only 99 of this particular model and type were ever built." 1