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Beech's twin-engined Model 18 was developed to supplement their famous Model 17 Staggerwing. First flown in January 1937, the Beech 18 was intended for private owners or charter operators. Initial sales were slow, with only 39 units produced before the outbreak of World War II. However, C-45 versions of the plane were widely used by the Army and Navy as trainers for pilots, gunners, bombardiers, and navigators, and as personnel and cargo transports. The last of the over 7,000 civilian and military versions of the Model 18 series was built in 1969, ending a 32-year continuous production run.
Most of the American pilots who flew the big bombers and cargo planes during World War II flew Beech Model 18-type aircraft near the end of their training. After pilots had mastered the small single-engine trainers, the next step was bigger, two-engine craft. But pilots were not the only ones Beeches helped train. Around 90% of the nation's navigators and bombardiers, as well as many aerial gunners, learned their trade in Army and Navy versions of the 18.
The Museum's Beech was built in November 1942 and delivered to U.S. Army Air Forces Bolling Field Headquarters Command in Washington, D.C. It was transferred to Victorville Air Field, California in 1946 and went into storage in 1949 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Reclaimed in 1951, it was one of hundreds of C-45s extensively remanufactured to the C-45G-BH standard (similar to the civil D18S); it was delivered in "zero-timed" condition to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana in December 1952. In 1957, it was further upgraded to the C-45H standard at Laughlin AFB, Texas by substitution of Hamilton-Standard propellers and two Pratt & Whitney R-985 AN-14B engines. By 1959, it was in storage again, this time at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.
After 17 years of serving the Army and Air Force, this and several other C-45s were sold to Rogue Valley Memorial Hospital of Medford, Oregon, later renamed Mercy Flights, Inc. Nicknamed "Iron Annie" and "The Bandaid Bomber," the C-45 evacuated over 1,150 people from remote areas in Oregon and Northern California to city hospitals for medical care. Among many missions, it was involved in the August 1959 rescue operation following the explosion of a nitrate truck passing through Roseburg, Oregon. This plane also flew missions to locate downed aircraft and assisted in firefighting operations before being retired in 1980. Mercy Flights donated “Iron Annie” to the Museum in 1982.
Beech's twin-engined Model 18 was developed to supplement their famous Model 17 Staggerwing. First flown in January 1937, the Beech 18 was intended for private owners or charter operators. Initial sales were slow, with only 39 units produced before the outbreak of World War II. However, C-45 versions of the plane were widely used by the Army and Navy as trainers for pilots, gunners, bombardiers, and navigators, and as personnel and cargo transports. The last of the over 7,000 civilian and military versions of the Model 18 series was built in 1969, ending a 32-year continuous production run.
Most of the American pilots who flew the big bombers and cargo planes during World War II flew Beech Model 18-type aircraft near the end of their training. After pilots had mastered the small single-engine trainers, the next step was bigger, two-engine craft. But pilots were not the only ones Beeches helped train. Around 90% of the nation's navigators and bombardiers, as well as many aerial gunners, learned their trade in Army and Navy versions of the 18.
The Museum's Beech was built in November 1942 and delivered to U.S. Army Air Forces Bolling Field Headquarters Command in Washington, D.C. It was transferred to Victorville Air Field, California in 1946 and went into storage in 1949 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Reclaimed in 1951, it was one of hundreds of C-45s extensively remanufactured to the C-45G-BH standard (similar to the civil D18S); it was delivered in "zero-timed" condition to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana in December 1952. In 1957, it was further upgraded to the C-45H standard at Laughlin AFB, Texas by substitution of Hamilton-Standard propellers and two Pratt & Whitney R-985 AN-14B engines. By 1959, it was in storage again, this time at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.
After 17 years of serving the Army and Air Force, this and several other C-45s were sold to Rogue Valley Memorial Hospital of Medford, Oregon, later renamed Mercy Flights, Inc. Nicknamed "Iron Annie" and "The Bandaid Bomber," the C-45 evacuated over 1,150 people from remote areas in Oregon and Northern California to city hospitals for medical care. Among many missions, it was involved in the August 1959 rescue operation following the explosion of a nitrate truck passing through Roseburg, Oregon. This plane also flew missions to locate downed aircraft and assisted in firefighting operations before being retired in 1980. Mercy Flights donated “Iron Annie” to the Museum in 1982.
