Timeline Flight 16 -- Cessna 310E

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 16th. Others will be posted every five days.

Cessna 310E 

• Capacity: four to six
• Length: 27 feet
• Maximum speed: 220 mph
• Cruise speed: 205 mph
• Range: 1,000 miles
• Service ceiling: 20,000 feet

The Cessna 310 is a four-to-six-seat, low-wing, twin-engine monoplane produced from 1954-1980 and the first twin-engine aircraft Cessna put into production after World War II. Among its many variants were the 310E (designated L-27B and later U-3B), delivered in 1960–61. These aircraft were essentially military 310Fs and equipped with the more powerful 260-horsepower engines. Tney can be identified by their extra cabin windows and swept vertical tail.

The Cessna 310 was a common charter aircraft due to its low operating cost. The 310 could use short runways while carrying a large useful load of 2,000 pounds or more at high speeds for a twin-engine piston aircraft.

N5243G was flown by CAP National Headquarters at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

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
Beechcraft -45H Expeditor
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog