Page 24 - March2020

Beech Musketeer, CAF 134235

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
was not 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 that company's Expeditor twin-engine aircraft, a hasty purchase of twenty-four
B23 Musketeers was made in 1971. 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 (130 kW), 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.
The initial batch of CT-134s was replaced in late 1981 with a purchase of twenty-four more aircraft. These
were 1982 model Beechcraft C23 Sundowners and were designated by the CF as CT-134A Musketeer II. These
were numbered 134025-134048.
.
The CT-134 was approved for limited aerobatics, including loops, rolls, chandelles and lazy eights
Specifications Performance

General characteristics
 Never exceed speed: 152 knots (283 km/h)

 Crew: Student and instructor  Maximum speed: 124 knots (231 km/h)
 Capacity: 2 passengers  Range: 675 miles (1,257 km)
 Length: 25 ft 8.5 in (7.85 m)  Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (3,962 m)
 Wingspan: 32 ft 9 in (10.00 m)  Rate of climb: 880 ft/min (268 m/min)
2
2
 Height: 8 ft 2.4 in (2.50 m)  Wing loading: 16.8 lb/ft (82 kg/m )
2
2
 Wing area: 146 ft (13.6 m )  Power/mass: 13.6 lb/hp (8.2 kg/kW)
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 Airfoil: NACA 63A415
 Empty weight: 1,560 lb (707 kg)
 Max. takeoff weight: 2,450 lb (normal) / 2,150 lb
(aerobatic) (1,110 kg/ 974 kg)
 Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360-A4G air-cooled,
4-cylinder piston engine, 180 hp (136 kW)