Technical Specifications
- Max Speed: 215 mph
- Cruising Speed: 150 mph
- Range: 745 miles
- Service Ceiling: 20,000 feet
- Wingspan: 47’ 7 ¾”
- Length: 34’ 1 ⅞”
- Height: 9’ 7 ¾”
- Weight: 9,300 lbs maximum
Armament
Two .30-caliber machine guns when used as a gunnery trainer
Engine
Two 450hp Pratt & Whitney R-985s
General Information
The AT-11 was the standard U.S. Army Air Force WWII bomber trainer. Like the C-45 and the AT-7, the AT-11 was a military version of the Beechcraft Model 18. More than 45,000 USAAF bombardiers trained in AT-11’s, which is equivalent to 90 percent of trained bombardiers. Modifications include internal bomb racks, bomb bay doors, and a transparent nose.
In 1943, the USAAF established a minimum proficiency of 22 percent of targets hit. While in training, students practiced with 100-pound, sand-filled bombs. Starting on 30 September 1943, the Kansan usually carried the Norden Bombsight and the C-1 automatic pilot, which allowed the bombardier student to guide aircraft during bombing runs.
The USAAF ordered 1,582 AT-11’s between 1941 and 1945. Heritage Flight Museum owns and operates one of the 240 Beechcraft 18’s still flying today.
Specific Information
Serial Number: 42-37240