GB-1

The Beechcraft GB‑1 was a light twin‑engine utility aircraft developed in the early 1940s as an offshoot of the Model 18 family. Conceived for the United States Army Air Forces as a short‑range liaison and pilot‑training platform, the GB‑1 incorporated a strengthened airframe, a tricycle landing gear, and upgraded 450‑hp Pratt & Whitney R‑985 radial engines that gave it a cruising speed of 210 mph and a service ceiling of 22 000 ft. Only 112 examples were built before the program was terminated in 1945, when newer trainers such as the AT‑6 Texan rendered it redundant.

Key features included an enclosed cockpit with dual controls, a wing structure that allowed a payload of up to 2 000 lb, and an easy‑maintainable hydraulic system for flap and gear operation. Its all‑metal construction and low wing layout gave stability and visibility, making it popular with flight schools after the war, where many were sold to civilian operators under the designation Beechcraft Model 18‑G.

Although not a commercial success, the GB‑1 demonstrated Beechcraft’s ability to adapt an existing design to meet military requirements quickly. It helped cement the company’s reputation for versatile, rugged aircraft that could transition between military and civilian roles, influencing the King Air series.