Beechcraft XT-36

The Beechcraft XT-36 (company designation Model 46) was an American twin-engine trainer-transport aircraft project of the early 1950s. Due to a change in requirements, the project was cancelled before any examples of the type were built.

Design and development
The XT-36 was intended for use in both trainer and transport roles. It utilised a low-wing design, with twin Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines providing power; the design specified a pressurised cabin, capable of carring either an instructor and three students in the training role, or two crewmembers and up to twelve passengers in a transport configuration. Top speed was expected to be around 350 mph at over 30000 ft. The aircraft was intended to become a standard United States Air Force type, as well as licensed production being set up by Canadair as the CL-15.

The project was started in 1951, with the rising demand for new aircrew due to the Korean War, Beechcraft was awarded a contract for the construction of the type, and built a new assembly plant for the production line. Orders totaled 193 aircraft; Canadair was contracted for 227 examples. However, in 1953, however, shortly before the first flight of the prototype was to occur, changing priorities resulted in the cancelation of the programme.

Variants

 * XT-36A
 * Military designation for Beech Model 46 trainer for the USAF; prototype completed but not flown.


 * CL-15
 * Licensed production by Canadair.