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Description
| Manufacturer: | Beech | |
| Base model: | SNB | |
| Designation: | SNB | |
| Version: | -5P | |
| Nickname: | Navigator | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Navy / Marines | |
| Designation Period: | 1939-1948 | |
| Basic role: | Scout trainer | |
| Modified Mission: | Photographic reconnaissance/Survey | |
| See Also: | C-45 | |
Specifications
| Length: | 35' 12" | 10.9 m | |
| Height: | 9' 4" | 2.8 m | |
| Wingspan: | 49' 8" | 15.1 m | |
| Wingarea: | 360.7 sq ft | 33.5 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 5,680 lb | 2,575 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 8,000 lb | 3,628 kg | |
| Max Weight: | 9,900 lb | 4,489 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 2 | ||
| Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-3 | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 450 | ||
Performance
| Range: | 1,626 miles | 2,618 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 207 mph | 333 km/h | 180 kt |
| Max Speed: | 234 mph | 376 km/h | 203 kt |
| Climb: | 1,490 ft/min | 454 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 23,300 ft | 7,101 m | |
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Pima Air & Space Museum | Tucson | Arizona |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Chuck Amsler St. Louis, MO, MO | I was in Photo "A" School at Pensacola, FL from Sep 1949-Mar 1950. I was in the Aerial rather than Ground school being stationed at NAS St. Louis, Lambert Field at the time. During my Aerial Phase, we were doing Mapping Problems in a SNB. It had the camera mount in the center of the floor with two seats facing forward and two facing aft. One morning our pilot, a Marine Master Sgt. (AP) and a A/C Mech riding "eyes", three students and our instructor prepared for takeoff. The pilot revved up the engines, released the brakes and we started our take-off roll. As we reached lift off speed our landing gear retracted. Not having enough speed, we settled and slid on the belly down the runway spewing a plume of sparks. As soon as the A/C stopped the guy closesest to the door, pulled the emergency release, kicked the door out and the six of of ran in our seperate directions all thinking our A/C would burst into flames. Fortunately it didn't.
The Navy tried to "hang" that Master Sgt for pulling a fighter take off, having the landing gear in the up position so when the weight of the A/C came off the gear would neatly fold into the body and the plane would be airborn close to the ground. I was facing forward and testified at the hearing the pilot had one hand on the yoke and one on the throttles and never touched the landing gear switch which was in the down position the whole time. After a very thorough inspection, it was learned the A/C had just come out of complete overhaul there at Pensacola and the landing gear switch was mounted INVERTED!. So when the selector was in the down position, it was in reality in the up position. I think the people at O and R at Pensacola took a heavy hit for not drop testing that bird before delivery. Oh yes, and as soon as the instructor and us three students got back to the flight line we were assigned another airplane and crew so we could get our Mapping Problem done. Needless to say all four of us were a bit nervous about that next take-off. Back at NAS St. Louis, we had a couple "glass nosed" SNB's. We found them an excellent platform for Aerial Oblique Photography as the optical clear class in the front avoided any distortion in our photographs. After all these years I still love that Airplane. Chuck Amsler, PHA-1/c, USNR 1947-1955 11/24/2008 @ 07:54 [ref: 23134] |
| Carl Wayne King, USN, Ret , CA | I was a Plane Capt. on SNB-5 & JRB-4 at NAAS Monterey, CA in 1953. I 1955 I went VJ-61 (Heavy Photo Squadron) and ended up as Plane Capt. on an SNB-5P. This aircraft had camera mounts in the cabin just forward of the two front observers seats and the doors were opened by manually cranking the actuator rods. It had a full oxygen system and Hamiliton Standard Full Feathering Props. I seem to recall it having an auto-pilot. When our squadron of AJ-2Ps moved to Agana, Guam, we took the SNB with us. This was much nicer then the first SNBs I was associated tith. 07/02/2008 @ 08:03 [ref: 21743] |
| Ed Wingfield Pensacola, FL | Here are some photos of a 1946 Beechcraft Model 18 (D18S, C45, SNB-5P)that I saw in a field next to US84 about 6 -7 miles west of Evergreeen, AL. I talked to the owner, a Mr. Burnett, who said he would take any resonable offer for the airplane. He stated that he has gotten out of the salvage business and what you see is all he has.
The airframe seems to be sound and sitting on it landing gear. The tailcone has been cut off but is inside the fusalage. No tailfeathers or control surfaces. Basically, it is what you see is all there is. It has been setting for a few years, but it may make an interesting project. Would be a shame to see it go for scrapmetal. Too much for me to handle but I can dream. Ed Wingfield 06/01/2007 @ 19:23 [ref: 16702] |
| Ron Miller Tuscola, IL | I was stationed at NATTU in 1972 when the air ops part of the photo schools as disbanded. I dont remeber but I do believe I was the plane on the aircraft pictured here. If anyone has any more info. please contact me at 1004 eastview dr. Tuscola,Il. 12/26/2004 @ 01:36 [ref: 8967] |
| Joe Kirschbaum PHCS USN ret Oak Harbor, WA | Today 10-9-04 I uploaded to this site a photo of the SNB-5P Twin beech photo recon trainer. This aircraft was pulled from the boneyard at Davis-monthan, AZ and restored.
It was flown at the NAS Whidbey island in 2002. This was the same aircraft I flew in as a PH "B" school aerial photo student in July & AUG of 1960 at Sherman Field, NAS Pensacola. The plane was beautifully restored with an intact A-19 viewfinder and intervalometer. 10/10/2004 @ 00:03 [ref: 8423] |
| Mrs Luhra Warren Little Rock, AR | My father-in-law Col. Steve Warren (I call him "Colonel Dad") flew an SNB as a U.S. Marine Corps aviator. The SNB was a Navy version of the AT-7. 02/02/2002 @ 01:15 [ref: 4235] |
| James Holdread Goshen, IN | You need a pitcher of a recon version.
We at the northen Indiana avaition museum have one and we fly it at air shows. check ours at www.niam.org 06/08/2001 @ 20:17 [ref: 2431] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
