The Beechcraft Model 50 Twin Bonanza is a small twin-engined aircraft designed by Beechcraft as an executive transport for the business market. It was developed to fill a gap between the single-engined Model 35 Bonanza and the larger Model 18. The Twin Bonanza is dissimilar to the Bonanza, being much larger and heavier and using more robust engines, but in its earliest form it had only half the passenger capacity of the Model 18. The Twin Bonanza was first flown on November 15, 1949. The United States Army adopted it as the L-23 Seminole utility transport, making it the largest fixed-wing aircraft in its inventory at that time. That is why it was built like a battleship, and it is one of only a few light twin-engined civil aircraft certificated in the utility category, as well as the first production light aircraft to feature shoulder belts.
The Twin Bonanza is an all-metal low-wing monoplane with a cantilever wing and retractable tricycle landing gear, initially powered by two geared Lycoming GO-435 piston engines with wooden two-bladed propellers. The standard cabin seats six on bench seats, three in front and three in rear, with later options like club seating and a sideways-facing couch. Early models had a right-hand door above the wing, while later aircraft added a rear airstair door. Production ended in 1963, and the Beechcraft Queen Air and King Air are direct descendants, sharing basic wing design and landing gear. The Twin Bonanza is known as the "Twin Bo" or "T-Bone". However, it has a reputation for slow cruise speed and high engine overhaul costs, but owners praise its reliability and interior space.
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What is the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza (Model 50)?
The Beechcraft Model 50 Twin Bonanza is a small twin-engined aircraft. The Beechcraft Model 50 Twin Bonanza was designed by Beechcraft as an executive transport for the business market. The Beechcraft Model 50 Twin Bonanza was developed to fill a gap in Beechcraft's product line between the single-engined Model 35 Bonanza and the larger Model 18.
The Beechcraft Model 50 Twin Bonanza is an all-metal low-wing monoplane with a cantilever wing and retractable tricycle landing gear, initially powered by two wing-mounted geared Lycoming GO-435 piston engines, each with a wooden two-bladed propeller. The Twin Bonanza was the aircraft that launched Beech into the twin-engine market. Nicknamed the "T-Bone" or "Twin Bo", it was designed as a no-compromise utility twin that could carry real payload over real distances at respectable speed. The "Twin Bo" is rightly declared to be the "grandfather of the King Air". The B50 added a third side window. Power was upped to 275 hp with the introduction of the GO-480 in the 1954 C50. The C50 and D50 upgraded engine horsepower to 275 and 295, respectively, with Lycoming GO-480 engines. The D50, introduced in 1956, was powered by 295-hp GO-480s and turned three-blade propellers. If three-across seating was a little close for comfort, buyers of models D50 and later could opt for separate seats with a wide aisle. The first supercharged T-Bone was the E50, introduced in 1957, featuring 340-hp, supercharged, GSO-480 engines. The E50 seats up to 6 passengers plus 1 pilot. The supercharged models like the H50 deliver more power and altitude capability but add complexity and maintenance cost.
The Twin Bonanza is heavier and larger than a Bonanza and has more power, but is smaller than a Beech Model 18. The cabin is about 23 feet long, interior height about 1.8 meters, and width over 2.4 meters. The bench has room for three across. It holds 382 gallons (1,446 liters) of fuel and has a 600 to 900 lb (272 to 408 kg) capacity with full tanks. The Twin Bonanza is prone to corrosion, which hurts the main wing support beam and the underbelly. The ailerons can make it sluggish, but the aircraft has gained respect and admiration from many civilian and military aviators.
What are the specifications of the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza (Model 50)?
The specifications of the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza (Model 50) are given in the table below.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 5 |
| Length | 31 ft 6 in (9.6 m) |
| Wingspan | 45 ft 3 in (13.79 m) |
| Height | 3.45 m (11 ft 4 in) |
| Wing area | 277 sq ft (25.7 sq m) |
| Aspect ratio | 7.51:1 |
| Empty weight | 3,981 lb (1805.8 kg) |
| Gross weight | 6,300 lb (2857.6 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 180 US gal |
| Powerplant | 2 Lycoming |
| Max speed | 214 mph (344 km/h) |
| Cruise speed | 203 mph (326.7 km/h) |
| Range | 1,650 mi (2,655 km) |
| Service ceiling | 20,000 ft (6,096 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,450 ft/min (442 m/min) |
| Take-off run | 410 yd |
| Landing run | 458 yd |
| Engine model | GO-480-C206 |
| Engine type | Air-cooled |
| Max t/o weight | 6,300 lb (2,857.6 kg) |
| Max range | 870 nm |
The Beechcraft Twin Bonanza Model 50 has a range of 2,655 kilometers (1,430 nautical miles) at 3,048 meters and 257 kilometers per hour. However, depending on the model and fuel configuration, the practical range is 800 to 1,100 nautical miles with standard fuel. The max range is 870 nautical miles, and the best range is 733 nautical miles. fuel capacity is 180 US gallons (681.4 liters) and fuel burn is about 28 to 36 gallons per hour (106 to 136.3 liters per hour) total. Estimated endurance at 65% power with a 1-hour reserve is 4 hours and 6 minutes.
What is the price of a Beechcraft 50?
Used Beechcraft Twin Bonanza prices typically range from $60,000 to $200,000 depending on model variant (D50, E50, G50, H50, J50), total airframe time, corrosion condition, avionics, engine status, and logbook completeness. Price changes with condition, type of model, provenance, and hours of use.
Expert behind this article
Jim Goodrich
Jim Goodrich is a pilot, aviation expert and founder of Tsunami Air.
