Twin Bonanza???

Alright... I'm ashamed to say but up until this thread I did not know what a Twin Bonanza was.. now you have me obsessed. New dream plane.. maybe even up the Aerostar? That sound

The one in this video is pretty old, but this guy does a fantastic job talking about the plane, and it's not one of those annoying type videos either

It's called a walk around, but they do actually fire it up

 
I’ll never forget when I saw my first Twin Bonanza on the ramp. It is absolutely massive. Such a good looking airplane too.
 
Stick with the Aerostar
lol.. certainly faster, and in some ways more capable. But how boss is the twin bonanza? It's rather capable as well, in the video they mentioned being able to carry 6 dudes (5+pilot), a 55 gallon drum of oil, and departing from a 1,500 ft dirt strip and clearing 50' obstacle in 1,800 ft. Looking at the data from Jane's that actually seems plausible depending on fuel load.. Goodluck getting the Aerostar to do that

Granted, given financial freedom there's nothing stopping someone from owning more than 1 plane :smilewinkgrin:

my wildest steampunk fantasies could come true
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lol.. certainly faster, and in some ways more capable. But how boss is the twin bonanza? It's rather capable as well, in the video they mentioned being able to carry 6 dudes (5+pilot), a 55 gallon drum of oil, and departing from a 1,500 ft dirt strip and clearing 50' obstacle in 1,800 ft. Looking at the data from Jane's that actually seems plausible depending on fuel load.. Goodluck getting the Aerostar to do that

Granted, given financial freedom there's nothing stopping someone from owning more than 1 plane :smilewinkgrin:

my wildest steampunk fantasies could come true
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My Twin Bonanza has a 2000lb useful load. It's got a little lower fuel capacity than the later models, but I can carry full fuel (134 gallons, or around 3:45+1hr reserve) and still have 1200lbs left over for people and stuff. With 4 people in the plane, I can take full fuel and more bags than we can fit in the rental car (yes, we've had the problem).
 
EAA's Vintage magazine has a T-Bone feature article this month. If anyone wants an emailed scan, lemme know (and pm you email address).:
 
Never flown one but would like to. What I like about the T-bone is that there is so much room inside - I’ve seen them with couches, three abreast seating, a potty and airstair doors. It’s like a poor man’s 421, and probably a hell of a lot easier to maintain — if you started with a good one. Told this story before but when I was a boy of 9 or 10, I came apon a T-bone in a hangar. Couldn’t believe how big it was, like a Travel Air on steroids,...the wingtips were so high I couldn’t reach them. I just had to see the cockpit of this monster (even then I knew where the action was). I walked around, behind the right wing there was this enormous step - like a 310’s but 2ft longer, and a 4ft long towel rack-like hand hold on the fuselage. So, I climbed up, one step at a time, stood on the wing, wow! Look at this cockpit! 3-abreast seating, that cool throttle quadrant,...and then, the airplane started tipping, and smack!!, fell completely on its tail. Didn’t occur to me the reason it was in the barn was because both of the engines were removed for overhaul. I remember getting my butt chewed. Shoulda had a tailstand.
 
It’s like a poor man’s 421, and probably a hell of a lot easier to maintain
And looks better. The 421 has a very boring corporate look in my opinion. Something about the Twin Bonanza just looks like the way a plane should..

the wingtips were so high I couldn’t reach them
in the video I linked above after he does the run up he taxies around and parts next to a Cessna, his wingtips seem to be above the Cessna's wings!
 
my wildest steampunk fantasies could come true

I love the Twin Bo, but I still think the best steampunk fantasy plane would be a Beech 18. :)
 
While I love the Beech 18, best steampunk is either Beech Model 17 Staggerwing or if you really want to go wild, the Kalinin K-7 :)

Staggerwing. Dammit, you’re right!
 
Twin Beeches are cool, but require considerable skill and experience to fly safely. Less so for the T-bone.
 
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