The Beechcraft Bonanza V35 is one of the great classics of the world of aviation. The V35, produced from 1966 to 1967, hails from one of the most distinctive lines of airplanes in history, the Bonanza family. First flown on December 22, 1945, the Bonanza is still being manufactured, making it the longest continuously produced aircraft in history. The design’s longevity is a testament to its capability and performance, and the V35 variant shines brightly as one of the most salient members of this great lineage.
The Bonanza marked a great evolutionary leap in civil aircraft when it was introduced in 1947. Unlike its high-wing, wood-and-fabric, taildragging predecessors, the Bonanza was an all-aluminum, low-wing design that featured retractable tricycle landing gear. Its most distinguishing characteristic was its empennage. Instead of the traditional tail composed of a horizontal stabilizer and a vertical stabilizer, the Bonanza sported a V-tail, using “ruddervators” to control pitch and yaw. The design was both aesthetically mesmerizing and aerodynamically energetic. Easy to fly, easy to maintain, the Bonanza opened the skies for a host of people in the post World War II era.
In the decades since its introduction, the Bonanza has seen a number of improvements. While Bonanza pilots often have favorite iterations of the model, one seems to stand above the others among those who know the line: The V35, recognizable due to its one-piece windshield and trapezoidal rear windows. The Bonanza V35 measures 26 feet, 5 inches nose-to-tail, features a low main wing with a span of 33 feet, 6 inches, and has retractable tricycle landing gear.
