Key Historical Timeline

Military Service (1943–1968)

• Construction and Acceptance:
  • Built by Beechcraft as an SNB-2 (military variant of the Beech 18), construction number (c/n) 4784, accepted by the U.S. Navy on July 20, 1943, and delivered on July 26, 1943.
  • Early service history between August 1943 and August 1944 is marked as “Unknown” on its USN record card.
• Notable Incidents and Assignments:
  • December 20, 1943: Gear-up landing accident during a touch-and-go instructional flight at North Perry Field, NAS Miami. No injuries reported.
  • 1944–1947: Served at various stations, including Radar School at St. Simon Island (Dec 1944–Apr 1946), NAS Key West (May–Jul 1946), NART Livermore (Aug–Oct 1946), and stored at Tillamook (Mar–Aug 1947).
  • December 1947–August 1948: Assigned to Aircraft Engineering Squadron 12 (AES-12) at MCAS Quantico, Virginia. Photographed in July 1948 by Bill Larkins, marked as an SNB-2 with “EA91” on the nose and upper right wing, operated by the U.S. Marines.
• Overhauls and Remanufacture:
  • Overhauled at Pensacola in March 1950.
  • Remanufactured by Beechcraft into an SNB-5 (new c/n N-985) in 1953, retaining BuNo 39265. Delivered on March 16, 1953.
  • Continued service at various training units, including Naval Air Technical Training Unit (NATECTRAU) Olathe (1953), Naval School All Weather Flight (NSAWF) at Corpus Christi (1954), and NAATC Hutchinson (1954–1956).
• Later Military Use:
  • Redesignated as TC-45J on September 18, 1962, and later as UC-45J on October 14, 1964.
  • Served with Naval Air Reserve Training (NART) at Twin Cities NAS Minneapolis (1964–1965).
  • Stored at MASDC Davis-Monthan AFB in August 1965 and struck from Navy records on April 30, 1968.

Civilian Service (1969–Present)

• Post-Military Disposition:
  • Donated to Central Missouri State College, Warrensburg, MO, on June 20, 1969. Registered as N49265 on July 17, 1969.
  • Sold to Kansas City Beech 18 (Frank Howerton) in Independence, MO, for $6,555 on April 15, 1986.
  • Received a Special Certificate of Airworthiness (Experimental Exhibition) on May 9, 1989. Flew to 23 airshows in the Midwest during the summer of 1989.
• Notable Civilian Appearances:
  • Photographed at Oshkosh in August 1990, painted in Navy “7E” markings (representing the Minneapolis/St. Paul Naval Reserve unit).
  • Acquired by Earl V. Long III (Westport Airport, Wichita, KS) in 1999, then by John J. & Susan R.C. Johnson (Tucson, AZ, and Wasilla, AK) in 2000.
  • Photographed in 2005 at Merrill Field, Alaska, with nose art “SoNoran Beauty,” marked with “827” and “92” on the tail. Displayed at the Alaska Aviation Museum in June 2005.
  • Registered to the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum, Midland, TX, on June 15, 2009, where it remains as of the last record.

Significance of the Bill Larkins Photo

The Bill Larkins photo from July 1948, taken at MCAS Quantico, captures the aircraft in its wartime SNB-2 configuration before its remanufacture to SNB-5. This image is a valuable historical record, showcasing the aircraft during its service with AES-12, marked with “EA91.” The photo, now 75 years old as of 2023, highlights the aircraft’s early military career and its role with the U.S. Marines.

“SoNoran Beauty” and Legacy

The nose art “SoNoran Beauty” (likely a play on “Sonoran,” referencing the Sonoran Desert region) was applied during its civilian career, particularly noted in 2005 when the aircraft was in Alaska. This personalization, along with its U.S. Navy markings, reflects its status as a preserved warbird, celebrated at airshows and museums. Its exhibition at the Alaska Aviation Museum and current ownership by the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum underscore its historical and cultural significance.

Additional Context

Preservation: The aircraft’s survival into the 21st century, with active participation in airshows and museum displays, makes it a rare example of a Beech 18 with a well-documented history.

Beechcraft SNB Series: The SNB-2 was a Navy trainer and utility aircraft based on the Beech 18, widely used during and after World War II. The SNB-5 was an upgraded version with improved systems, reflecting the Navy’s continued reliance on the type for training and transport.