Dates

Event

Constructed as a 18A.
This was the prototype Beech 18.

Circa 1937

Photographer: Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
Notes: Photo of the prototype Beech 18 - taken in 1937 at North Beach NY by the late Leslie Jones

To Beech with new c/r N15810.

15 January 1937

First flight.
Flown at Wichita KS. Two Wright R-760-E2 Whirlwind radials with helmet cowlings.

23 June 1937

To Ethyl Gasoline Corp, New York, NY with new c/r NC15810.

25 June 1937

Purchased for $32,439 and delivered on this date.

5 April 1938

To William C. Talbot/Talbot Shipbuilding, San Mateo, CA keeping c/r NC15810.

23 August 1939

To Beech Aircraft Corp, Wichita, KS keeping c/r NC15810.
Traded in for Beech 18S c/n 294.

26 August 1939

To Harry K. Coffey, Portland, OR keeping c/r NC15810.
Mr. Coffey was an insurance executive who used this aircraft to visit business interests in Alaska and the US northwest.

21 May 1941

To Superior Oil Co, Houston, TX keeping c/r NC15810.

9 June 1941

To Charles H. Babb Co, Glendale, CA keeping c/r NC15810.

27 August 1941

Transferred to Department of Munitions Supply, Canada.

16 September 1941

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Canadian Air Force with s/n 8650.

From 16 September 1941 to 6 September 1944

Transferred to RCAF No. 3 Training Command Comm Flight.

2 March 1944

Transferred to No. 9 Repair Depot.
Sent to No. 9 for overhaul with 1,331:15 logged hours.

Assigned to No. 9 RD for storage.
Sent to No. 9 with 1,357:20 logged hours.

9 September 1944

Struck off Strength/Charge from the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Transferred to Canadian War Assets Commission.

16 March 1945

To Malcolm L. Hardy, Waynesboro, PA.
When purchased from Canadian War Assets there were 1,357 hours on the airframe.

May 1945

Civil registration PP-XAM reserved but not taken up.
The registration was reserved by Exportacao de Aeronaves Ltd, Brazil, but the sale was not finalized and the delivery was not made.

September 1945

To Malcolm L. Hardy, Waynesboro, PA with new c/r NC15810.

5 June 1946

To Public Flyers Inc, New York, NY keeping c/r NC15810.

April 1947

To First Patterson National Bank.
Repossessed by the bank.

10 November 1947

To Triple Cities Airways/Ray E. Cole, Chemung Valley, PA keeping c/r NC15810.

23 October 1948

To Michaelis Equipment Inc, Oklahoma City, OK keeping c/r NC15810.

To Aircraftsmen Inc, Oklahoma City, OK keeping c/r NC15810.

Converted to a 18B.

7 February 1952

To Scott Flying Service/R. M. Scott, Long Beach, CA keeping c/r NC15810.

From 1952 to 1953

Markings Applied: Kefauver for President
Flown during the Democratic presidential campaign.

Markings Applied: Son of Beech, Scott Flying Service
Returned to Scott markings and used to ferry construction crews to San Clemente Island off Californian coast. Engines freshly overhauled by Wright of Canada.

October 1955

Spotted at Long Beach, CA, in a red and white colour scheme with no titles.

7 April 1956

To Murtrie W. Dula, Visalia, CA with new c/r N15810.

31 January 1959

Markings Applied: Son of Beech
Spotted at Long Beach, CA, fitted with Cessna Bobcat helmet cowlings.

From 12 March 1961 to 1972

To David G. Kope, Reedley, CA keeping c/r N15810.

Withdrawn from use.
Retired at Reedley, CA.

From 1965 to 1968

Placed in open storage at Reedley, CA.

1970

Stored dismantled.

Moved to a house near the Reedley airport to avoid parking fees, and became badly vandalized with bullet holes.

From October 1982 to 1987

To Robert Lock, Reedley, CA.

From October 1982 to 1987

Moved to Mr. Locks house where it was stored dismantled.

December 1987

To Fred W. Patterson, Hayward, CA.

October 1988

Transported by ground.
Moved from Reedley, CA, to Livermore, CA, by Jimmy Rollison of Nut Tree for owner Fred Paterson.

1990

Repair started.
The work was carried out a Livermore, CA.

From 31 July 1990 to 2010

Assigned civil registration: N15810
Returned to the register.

8 August 1990

To Patterson Fred W III, Anchorage, AK keeping c/r N15810.

Circa 1991

Transported by ground.
Moved to Gnoss Field, Novato, CA.

January 1995

Spotted at Livermore, CA, with the fuselage standing on the undercarriage and red and white faded paint with patches.

From 1998 to 2004

Restoration continued.
The work was carried out at Gnoss Field.

26 June 2012

To Walter C. Bowe Trustee, Sonoma, CA keeping c/r N15810.

3 April 2017

To Walker Matthew James, Henderson, NV keeping c/r N15810.