From Travel Air to Baron: How Beech Created a Classic! Book

From Travel Air to Baron: How Beech Created A Classic! This book tells the complete, never before told story of Beech Aircraft's recognition of the need for a true light engine airplane in the mid 1950s a need to fill the large market gap between the ever popular single engine Bonanza and the much larger (and more expensive) Model 50 Twin Bonanza. This book covers the design concept, marketing strategy, and development of the Beechcraft model line from the very first Travel Air in 1958 until the last in 1968. All the many Baron models are included beginning with the first Model 55 in 1961 and continuing throught the 1994 Model 58 Baron. Learn why the Model 56TC Baron was developed and then one year later, the Beechcraft Model 60 Duke. Discover the marketing and engineering story behind the Turbocharged 58TC and the Pressurized Model 58P Baron. All ninety-nine models of the Travel Air Baron series are in this book along with the significant changes that occurred during each model production run. A must for every pilot's home library! Whether you now own a Baron or Travel Air or have owned one in the past or might own one in the future, you will enjoy this book.

About the Author:

Larry A.Ball is the author of "Those Incomparable Bonanzas" and the follow up book "They Called Me Mr. Bonanza." Over a period of twenty-five years he has received many requests for a similar book on the Beechcraft Travel Air/Baron Series. These requests were gratefully accepted but not acted upon until Larry looked around and discovered he was the last individual left to tell the complete story of the development of the First Beechcraft Light Twin. His thirty-seven year association with Beech Aircraft Corporation has encompassed the entire production period and most of the development phase of this product line. Although the Bonanza occupied much of his time as Bonanza sales manager while at the Factory, during his last four years (1969-1973), he was overall Program Manager for the Bonanzas and Barons. Later, as Vice President and General Manager of Indiana Beechcraft, Indianapolis,Indiana, Ohio Aviation, Dayton, Cleveland, Cincinatti, Ohio, and Hartzog Aviation, Rockford, Illinois, his involvement with the Baron in both sales and maintenance grew repidly. In addition to his two previous books, Larry has written articles for Flying and Private Pilot magazines. He views aviation with the eye of a natural historian.