Timeline Flight 14 -- Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor

With the approach of Civil Air Patrol's 80th anniversary Dec.1, Maj. Ronald C. Finger of the Minnesota Wing's Crow Wing Composite Squadron worked with Col. Frank Blazich of the Col. Louisa S. Morse Center for Civil Air Patrol History, CAP national historian, on a special project -- to create “Timeline Flight” paintings showcasing some of the wide variety of CAP aircraft flown over the years.

The 21 aircraft selected span the Coastal Patrol days of World War II, the postwar years and finally the aircraft Civil Air Patrol aircrews fly today. This is the 14th. Others will be posted every five days.

Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor N9154R

• Capacity: six to eight
• Length: 34 feet 3 inches
• Maximum speed: 225 mph
• Cruise speed: 150 mph
• Range: 1,200 miles
• Service ceiling: 26,000 feet

The Beechcraft C-45 was the World War II military version of the popular Beechcraft Model 18 commercial light transport. Beech built a total of 4,526 of these aircraft for the U.S. Army Air Corps and the U.S. Army Air Forces from 1939-945 in four versions: the AT-7 Navigator navigation trainer, the AT-11 Kansan bombing-gunnery trainer, the C-45 Expeditor utility transport and the F-2 ("Fotorecon") for aerial photography and mapping.

During the early 1950s, Beech completely rebuilt 900 C-45s for the U.S .Air Force. The planes received new serial numbers and were designated C-45Gs and C-45Hs, remaining in service until 1963 for administrative and light cargo duties. Throughout the remaining1960s, almost two dozen C-45Hs were released to CAP and flown by many wings until the early 1970s.

N9154R was flown by the Florida Wing.

Sikorsky S-39B
Stinson 105-10A Voyager
Beechcraft Staggerwing B-17L 
Waco YKS-6
Fairchild 24-C8F
Grumman G-44A Widgeon
Stinson SR-9C Reliant “Gull Wing”
Piper J3-65 Cub
Culver Cadet LCA
Ercoupe 415-C
Aeronca L-16A
Beechcraft T-34 A
North American AT-6 Texan