Walter and his wife made a plane for the ages. Cessna was selling the round engine, tail wheel, 195. Piper, Waco, Luscombe, Mooney, etc had nothing. It was 20 years ahead of everything in 1947. Features like all electric gear and electric prop control. Double tapered wing, flush riveting, Mag flight controls, 12 foot wide gear with big tires, and fully enclose retraction are just some of the great ideas on the Bo. Olive, his wife was prominent in design features of the cabin. Meaning, a throw over yoke, where the right seat wasn't affected by the control column. Recessed right side rudders that fold flat. Evaporative 'air conditioning' avail, and retracting entry step all came standard or options on every Bonanza.
Of course, it was a performance giant leap forward. In fact, by 1952-5, it was too much plane for the civilian population and - people started tearing them apart in the air. Ham-fisted pilots, flying full throttle and descending at red-line on the ASI began a series of in-flight failures due to over stress on the V tail, and also the wing. Eventually, Beech responded with a ruddervator cuff AD which resolved a weakness where the tail was mated to the fuselage. But - the damage was done, and the plane got a rep as the 'fork-tailed doctor killer'. Today, many other planes have similar flight characteristics, and all of the fleet have the cuffs mounted, so the mitigation of the problem was complete, but it left a stain on the marque which means that the early Bo are the value proposition today.
Downside to the early Bo: The E series engine lacks detailed support. The O-470 cylinders, pistons, rings, and bearings are interchangeable but the crankshaft, cases, and some accessories are unique to the E-185/225. Similar statement made with the Beech prop. However, there are constant speed props available at a price. The first 1487 SN were built with a steel 'bird cage' truss for the wing through spar attach. Many planes have been converted to the aluminum box truss, but the early planes with the steel truss need extra inspection each year. The V-tail will 'dance' or waddle in mild turbulence. Putting a foot on both rudders can damp it some, but it's going to sway a bit in rough weather. The elec Beech prop is controllable, but technically not a constant speed. However, there are constant speed rheostat controls that are common on many Beech props making it operate like a constant speed. The Hartzell CS prop is the alternative. Most older Bos have a TON of alterations. It's critical that during pre-buy every mod, every STC, every alteration is documented properly. And, there are a lot of potential mods for them.
Hire a Bo expert for any plane from 1947-56 up to the "35G" model. The performance is great, it's pretty comfy, and they look great sitting on the ramp. Don't gear up them, as the gear switch is a silver toggle, just the same as all the other toggles on the panel, including the flaps.
