Everything about Beechcraft Musketeer totally explained
The
Beechcraft Musketeer line is a family of single-engine, low-wing, light aircraft that includes the
Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the
Model 23 Musketeer,
Custom and
Sundowner, the
Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III and the retractable gear
Model 24-R Sierra.
The Musketeer line was in production from model years
1963 to
1983, during which time a total of 4,366 were produced.
Development
Model 23 Musketeer and Custom
The first of the line was the Model 23. It was introduced under the "Musketeer" name as a 1963 model at an initial price of $13,300 and was powered by a
Lycoming O-320-D2B engine of 160 bhp. The next year this engine was replaced by the
Continental IO-346-A engine of 165 bhp. This engine wasn't a success and was in turn replaced by the
Lycoming O-360-A4J engine of 180 bhp starting with the B23 Musketeer Custom of 1968. In
1970 the C23 version was introduced also under the name "Musketeer Custom". In
1972 the C23 was renamed the "Sundowner". When properly equipped, the B23 and C23 are approved for limited
aerobatics.
Aircraft type club
The Musketeer family of aircraft is supported by an active
aircraft type club, the Beech Aero Club.
Operational history
Present day
During their production years the Musketeer family of aircraft were popular trainers and were used by many flying schools. Most Musketeers are now privately owned and are prized for their large, roomy cabins, airframe strength and stability, if not their high cruise speeds.
Canadian military service
In the early 1960s the
Royal Canadian Air Force’s standard elementary training aircraft was the
de Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk. Flight instruction was completed by student pilots on the DHC-1 before they progressed to the then-brand-new
Canadair CT-114 Tutor jet trainer. A decision was made by RCAF HQ to remove the DHC-1s from service and not replace them, as it was felt that the CT-114 was easy enough to fly that initial training wasn't needed. The CT-114 quickly developed a wash-out rate of near 95% amongst student jet pilots and it was clear that an elementary trainer was needed. Due to the RCAF’s previous customer relationship with Beechcraft while operating the
Beech 18 Expeditor, a hasty purchase of twenty-four 1971 model B23 Musketeers was made. The first CT-134 arrived at
CFB Portage la Prairie on March 23, 1971.
The new trainers were designated
CT-134 Musketeer in the then
Canadian Armed Forces. The aircraft purchased were standard Model B23s equipped with the O-360-A4G engine of 180 bhp, modified by the addition of a cowling
strake,
horizontal stabilizer strake and ventral fin to improve spin recovery performance. They were initially serial numbered as 13401-13424, but were re-numbered 134001-134024 to avoid confusion with other CF aircraft serial numbers. Instead they were donated to museums or used for air force and civil maintenance training. Some CT-134s still serve as monuments at a few current and former
Canadian Forces Bases as well as
Royal Canadian Legion halls, a distinction held by very few light aircraft in this class.
In Canadian military service the aircraft was referred to by student and instructor pilots by the nickname
Muskrat.
Military operators
;
Specifications
A23A Musketeer Custom III
CT-134 Musketeer
Further Information
Get more info on 'Beechcraft Musketeer'.
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