L-23 Seminole

L-23 (later U-8) Seminole was the United States Armed Forces designation for the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza (Beechcraft's Model 50) and Queen Air (Beechcraft Model 65/70/80/88) airplanes in its inventory. In 1951 the United States Army evaluated a Twin Bonanza at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and subsequently ordered four 'off-the-shelf' Model 50s as YL-23s, these being delivered in early 1952. Further examples of the Model 50 were ordered under the de... more

L-23 (later U-8) Seminole was the United States Armed Forces designation for the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza (Beechcraft's Model 50) and Queen Air (Beechcraft Model 65/70/80/88) airplanes in its inventory. In 1951 the United States Army evaluated a Twin Bonanza at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and subsequently ordered four 'off-the-shelf' Model 50s as YL-23s, these being delivered in early 1952. Further examples of the Model 50 were ordered under the designation L-23A and Model B50s were also ordered under the designation L-23B. These accounted for the majority of Twin Bonanza production during 1952 and 1953, the first L-23A being delivered in February 1953 and the last L-23B being delivered in April the following year., shortly before cessation of the Korean War. In 1955 the United States Air Force ordered a single Model C50 Twin Bonanza under the designation XL-23C for evaluation; this was the only L-23 variant not delivered to the US Army as no further orders were placed by the Air Force.... less