A rare Beechcraft Twin Beech 18 in its original U.S. Navy configuration — one of the finest flyable SNB-5s in existence.
The Beechcraft Model 18 — the "Twin Beech" — is one of the most successful twin-engine aircraft ever produced. Between 1937 and 1970, more than 9,000 were built, serving military and civilian operators around the world. The SNB series was the U.S. Navy's primary multi-engine trainer variant, used to prepare naval aviators for the twin-engine aircraft that would define WWII and the Korean War era.
The "Sonoran Beauty" was originally delivered to the U.S. Navy as an SNB-2 in 1943 — the same year Allied forces turned the tide of World War II in both the Atlantic and Pacific. She served as a multi-engine and instrument trainer, preparing naval aviators for the demands of combat. In 1953, she was remanufactured to SNB-5 standard — the final and most refined variant of the Navy's Beech 18 program — extending her service life into the Korean War era.
After her military service, the Sonoran Beauty passed through civilian hands before being acquired by the Commemorative Air Force Mile High Wing. She was meticulously restored to her original Navy livery and returned to flying condition. Today she is based at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC) in Broomfield, Colorado — one of the finest flyable SNB-5s in existence.
The Sonoran Beauty carries 5 people per flight: 4 passengers in the rear cabin and 1 copilot in the front right seat. She requires a minimum of 4 passengers to fly. Flights are available through the CAF Mile High Wing at events and tour stops, and by private arrangement from KBJC.
The Sonoran Beauty is based at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC) in Broomfield, Colorado — a working general aviation airport situated at the geographic heart of the Front Range, bordered by Broomfield, Westminster, Superior, and Louisville.
Colorado's aviation history runs deep. During World War II, the state served as a critical center for military aviation training — Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Peterson Field in Colorado Springs, and dozens of auxiliary airfields prepared thousands of American pilots, navigators, and bombardiers for combat. The Sonoran Beauty and the aircraft of her era were part of that wartime training infrastructure.
At the Mile High 150 Expo on August 1, 2026, the Sonoran Beauty will be present on the Legacy Ramp at KBJC — a living connection between Colorado's aviation heritage and Colorado's 150th birthday celebration. Few images could more powerfully represent 150 years of Colorado history than a WWII-era warbird with the Rocky Mountains as its backdrop.
The Sonoran Beauty is operated by the Commemorative Air Force Mile High Wing, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving and flying historic military aircraft. Warbird flights are available through the CAF Mile High Wing at events throughout Colorado and the region.
August 1, 2026 · Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport · Broomfield, Colorado
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