United States
Beechcraft UC-45F "Expediter" Cargo Aircraft
A.A.F. Serial Number 43-35764
History of UC-45F 43-35764:
Built under A.A.F. Contract Number AC-40082 Serial Number range: 43-35668 to 43-35945
Produced from 1943-1944, with total production of 1,137 aircraft (UC-45F).
Gross weight 8,725 lbs. Wingspan 47’ 8”, length 34’ 8”. Engine type: Two 450HP Pratt and Whitney
R-985-AN-1. Max speed 206 MPH.
Total cost $66,152 per aircraft (to include cost of aircraft, engines, propellers, and radios).
Manufacturer and Location: Beechcraft, Wichita, Kansas.
Accepted May 11th 1944, Delivered June 24, 1944.
This UC-45F served with the 2nd Electronics Squadron from 1944 to 1945, Fort Dix Army Air Base, New Jersey.
Converted to EC-45F in 1949. Stricken from inventory in 1956.

This is the last known photo of UC-45F 43-35764 while still in U.S. Military service, above photo.
This photo was taken after 1947, as indicated by the National Insignia with red bars and the addition of "UNITED STATES AIR
FORCE" on the fuselage. The tail wheel appears to be flat, which may indicate that this photo was taken just prior to being
stricken from inventory in 1956.
Above photo provided by Robert Parmerter, Beechcraft Aircraft Model 18 Historian via D. Anderson and J. Underwood.
Radio Call data plate, left photo. This plate is mounted on the pilot's side of
the instrument panel. This photo was taken prior to restoration.
Original Wartime UC-45F Cockpit layout, left photo.
Pilot and Co-Pilot Control Wheels, above photo.
These wheels were used during the restoration of 43-35764.
Rear cockpit bulkhead, above photo.
The Crew:
Pilot
Co-Pilot
Post War History of UC-45F 43-35764:
On January 20th, 1953 Harlan W Gessner had a flying accident with C-45F 43-35764 at Wright Patterson AFB Ohio.
C-45F 43-35764 was sold to the Escuadron de Transports, Nicaraguan Air Force in 1956. She served with 6 other C-45s in
Nicaragua: 43-35858, 44-47116, 44-47298, 44-47355, 44-87114 and 44-87188. It is not currently know when 43-35764 was sold
by the Nicaraguan Air Force, but records show C-45 43-35858 being transferred as N12068 in 1963. N12068 was de-registered
by Rusk Aviation Inc Illinois in July 1970.
C-45F 43-35764 was purchased by John Mars of "Mars Air Salvage", Jupiter Florida. She was never assigned a United States
civil registration number. In 1989 the cockpit was purchased by warbird historian and collector Donald King of "Classic
Warbirds", Tampa Florida.
The remains of C-45F 43-35764 were acquired by QuestMasters in 1995.
The cockpit was fully restored in 2017 to factory produced configuration.
Port side nose, left photo. Starboard side nose, right photo.
This nose section of Beechcraft D18S A-140 will be used to replace the nose section cut from UC-45F 43-35764.
Front view of nose, left photo. Note the extra fuel tank mounted in the luggage compartment.
Inside view of cockpit, right photo. This aircraft was cut just aft of the instrument panel.
United States
Beechcraft D18S Civilian Cargo Aircraft
Craft Number: A-140
Civil Registration Numbers: NC1501, N1501K, N1313G(2)
History of D18S A-140:
The Beechcraft Model D18S was the first post-World War II civilian variant introduced in 1945 with a total of 1,035 aircraft
produced (Craft Numbers C/N A-1 to A-1035).
Beechcraft D18S C/N A-140 was delivered on April 12th 1946 to the Continental Can Company, NY and registered as NC1501. It
was re-registered as N1501K on October 15th 1954.
A-140 is shown above with the Continental Can Company logo on the nose, three concentric "C"s, and the civilian registration
number N1501 on the tail.
Above photo provided by Robert Parmerter, Beechcraft Aircraft Model 18 Historian via Collect Air Photos.

The Red Devil Tool Co of Irvington, NJ acquired A-140 in October 1954 and registered her as N1313G(2) on
March 15th 1955. She flew with the Red Devil logo on the nose. A-140 was donated to Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. It was
returned to Red Devil Tools and then donated on September 15th 1960 to the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian
Institution. The aircraft was stored outside at Silver Hill, Suitland, MD until at least January 1976.
After 1976, A-140 was reduced to parts & disposed of by the NASM.
The nose of A-140 was purchased from the estate of Gary Austin, crew chief for the Commemorative Air Museum, by
QuestMasters in 2010 for the restoration of C-45F 43-35764.
Beechcraft C/N A-140 Reg N1313G(2) being accepted by T.L. Zwingle (right) Vice President of Cornell University   
from Red Devil Tools chief pilot Howard Dubanowich (left).
Above photo provided by Robert Parmerter, Beechcraft Aircraft Model 18 Historian via NASM.
Beechcraft A-140 N1313G in colors of the Red Devil Tool and Paint company, above two photos.
Above photos provided by Robert Parmerter, Beechcraft Aircraft Model 18 Historian via NASM.
Beechcraft A-140 N1313G in colors of the Red Devil Tool and Paint company in outdoor storage for the NASM, Silver Hill
Maryland, January 1976, prior to being destroyed, above photo.
The deterioration of this plane in outside storage in the 1960's and others at Silver HIll, led to a several news and aviation
magazine articles exposing the shabby treatment of these donations.
Above photos provided by Robert Parmerter, Beechcraft Aircraft Model 18 Historian via Jay Miller.
Type A-3A Aircraft Automatic Pilot, above three photos.
The A-3A Automatic Pilot was mounted in the instrument panel directly in front of the pilot on the C-45. The A-3A comprised of
two components. The right instrument is the CONTROL, BANK-CLIMB GYRO. This instrument was made under SPEC. NO.
94-27979, ORDER. NO. W33-038-AC-4341, SER. NO. AF42-18070. It was made by JACK & HEINTZ, INC. CLEVELAND, OHIO.
This instrument was inspected by AIR ASIA on November 16th 1970.
The left instrument is the CONTROL, DIRECTIONAL GYRO. This instrument was made under SPEC. NO. 94-27978, ORDER
NO. W535-AC24564, SER. NO. AF42-3590. It was made by JACK & HEINTZ, INC. CLEVELAND, OHIO.
Both of these instruments were used in the restoration of UC-45F 43-35764
In November 2015, QuestMasters commissioned a painting, with the aviation artist Ron Cole, of C-45F 43-35764 as she would
have looked while assigned to 2nd Electronics Squadron, Fort Dix Air Base, New Jersey, Summer of 1944. This painting is
copyright of QuestMasters and Ron Cole.
It is available for purchase here through Ron Cole aviation art: http://coles-aircraft.myshopify.com/
Beechcraft UC-45F 43-35764 prior to restoration:
In December 2015, the Revell model company released a model of C-45F 43-35764 as she would have looked just after WWII.
Beechcraft UC-45F 43-35764 after restoration in 2017:
C-45F 43-35764 Cockpit, above photo.
In 2017, QuestMasters undertook the full non-airworthy restoration of this C-45F. The entire cockpit was stripped to bare
metal and every component restored to the original 1944 factory configuration. New FAA approved optically clear glass was
installed throughout the cockpit, factory color matched paint was applied correctly to all surfaces, original gages installed
with placards, new upholstery installed, sunfast black flocked floors replicated, with radio components and original cloth
covered wiring also installed.
C-45F 43-35764 Cockpit before restoration, left photo, and after restoration, right photo.
C-45F 43-35764 Cockpit before restoration, left photo, and after restoration, right photo.
C-45F 43-35764 Cockpit floor after restoration in 2017, above photo.
The factory specification for the wooden floors in the C-45F was: flocked in sunfast black. Flocking is a micro-fiber that is
applied to wet paint, creating a soft velvet feel. The color sunfast black, was chosen so that no reflection or glare is carried
off from the floor. The seats are not mounted in this photo so that the entire floor is visible.
C-45F 43-35764 Cockpit before restoration, left photo, and after restoration, right photo.
ITEMS USED IN RESTORATION:
COCKPIT NOSE USED IN RESTORATION OF C-45F 43-35764: