The Bay Super V, also known as the Super "V" Bonanza, was an American twin-piston-engined utility aircraft converted from the Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza. Developed by David G. Peterson in 1955–6, it retained the Bonanza's V-tail but incorporated substantial structural modifications, which were extensive enough that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the Super V a separate type certificate.

Oakland Airmotive acquired the rights to the conversion in 1958 and became Bay Aviation Services in 1960. Bay manufactured and installed Super V conversion kits on customer-supplied Bonanzas, completing nine aircraft. Production was transferred in 1962 to Fleet Aircraft in Canada, which produced five more under a separate type certificate, bringing total production to fourteen.

History Development The Super-V is an extensive conversion of the Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza.Johan Visschedijk, Johan: "Peterson / Skyline / Oakland Airmotive / Bay Aviation / Hammond / Pine Air Super V," History Brief, March 31, 2016, 1000aircraftphotos.com, retrieved November 29, 2025 Serial number records indicate the aircraft chosen for conversion range in production dates from 1947 to 1950. The original conversion was developed by David Peterson as the "Skyline Super-V" in 1955–6, assisted by W.D. Johnson, and the rights to the conversion were acquired by Oakland Airmotive on July 2, 1958. Oakland Airmotive became Bay Aviation Services on July 8, 1960. The wing spar was strengthened considerably in the process. The airframe is so different from the original Bonanza that, rather than supplementing the original type certificate, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a completely new certificate for the Super-V.

Oakland Airmotive intended to produce converted planes starting in 1960, but never progressed beyond manufacturing and installing Super-V conversion kits on customer-supplied Bonanzas. Ed Gough was the President. FAA type certification was granted in June 1960. Production drawings, bills of material, and other documentation was prepared and there were several conversions in the pipeline. Flying magazine published a story on the Super V in October 1960 and the marketing efforts were reaching a peak, with a Super-V (Registration N617B) completing a successful circumnavigation of the globe. The cost of a standard conversion was priced in 1960 at , not including the cost of the donor aircraft.

The Super-V was initially certificated with the carburetor-equipped Lycoming O-360-A1A engines. Although the engines were intended to be fuel-injected, as on David Peterson's developmental prototype, the engines on the prototype did not meet FAA approval. As a preliminary first step towards true fuel injection, the O-360-A1C engine was adopted in August 1960, which eliminated the possibility of carburetor icing. The type certificate was later revised to include the A1C engine variant, and flight testing with O-360-A1C engines was not completed until early 1961 at SFO.

The Insul-8 Corporation of San Carlos, California, organized a new aviation division that provided all parts (except engines) for the conversion to the Super-V Aircraft Corporation of San Francisco International Airport. Super-V conversion centers operated under franchise from the Super-V Aircraft Corporation. Tirey L. Ford, Jr., was president of both the Insul-8 Corporation and the Super-V Aircraft Corporation.

Early accidents The sales manager, Kenneth Bellamy, was killed in a crash fifteen miles southeast of Brighton, Colorado, while demonstrating the Super V to a potential buyer, Don Vest, founder of Vest Aircraft Company on September 14, 1960. A crop-duster pilot, John Curry, was also killed in the crash. It was believed that Vest was at the controls of the Super-V at the time of the crash.

The Super-V belonging to Southland Corporation, a distributor for Bay Aviation Services, crashed on August 12, 1961, near Ardmore, Oklahoma, with at least one survivor.

Shifting production It is likely the relatively high cost of the Super-V conversion and competition from the Beechcraft Travel Air, a factory-built twin-engine aircraft of comparable role and size, resulted in low demand for the Super-V. This, coupled with workmanship issues and early crashes, led to the rapid dissolution of Bay Aviation. Bay Aviation became Lawrence Properties in 1962.

Production was transferred to Fleet Aircraft in 1962 with some detail improvements to fulfill existing orders. A separate type certificate was issued for planes manufactured by Fleet in Canada, this time with O-360-A1D engines. The production rights were sold again to Mitchell Aircraft in 1963. The current type certificate holder is KWAD Company.

Specific aircraft

The complete Super-V serial number consists of the converted Super-V serial number (in the format SV###) accompanied by the Beech donor plane serial number (D####). Super-V serial numbers were assigned sequentially starting from SV101. Serial numbers as high as SV117 are known to exist; SV101 was later rebuilt into SV116, and SV110 and SV111 were skipped, hence known production is fourteen aircraft. Of the fourteen, nine were built by Bay Aviation (of which five have been destroyed, two still hold current registration, and two have unknown disposition) and five were built by Fleet Aircraft (of which two have been destroyed, one still holds current registration, and two have unknown disposition).

+ Bay Super V historiesSuper-V S/NBeech S/NBuiltConvertedDestroyedFinal RegistrationOther RegNotes SV101D-1640 N617BThis plane model successfully circumnavigated the globe in 1960. Subsequently, rebuilt into SV116. SV102D-1982 N8409ADestroyed during a September 14, 1960 demonstration crash near Brighton, Colorado. SV103D-1249 N4442V NC4442VRegistered to Southland Aviation (a Bay Aviation distributor). It subsequently crashed on August 12, 1961, near Ardmore, Oklahoma. Both SV102 and SV103 were known to be lost by the time production shifted to Fleet/Canada in 1962. SV104D-1731 N104SV N104SSubstantially damaged in a nonfatal April 28, 1968 accident in California during a wheels-up landing due to mechanical failure of the nose gear. Its FAA registration was cancelled in 2013. SV105D-1479 N549B NC462B, N57WDamaged in a nonfatal April 11, 1964 accident in Maryland during a wheels-up landing due to pilot error. In 1965, registry number N549B was issued to airframe serial number D-1479. Prior to the destruction of the aircraft it was operated by James William Bullock, Astro Inc. (Aeronautical Sales, Training, and Research Organization). There is some confusion about this airframe since there is photographic evidence that N549B is a Bay Super V, but the FAA registry states N549B is an unmodified single-engine Bonanza. SV106D-1356 N4530V NC4530VUnder private ownership. It sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on May 22, 1973. As the airworthiness certificate is dated to March 1961, N4530V is likely to be one of the later certificated types. SV107D-1538 N514B NC514BDestroyed in a fatal April 11, 1973 crash in Texas; after one engine failed, the pilot lost control while trying to avoid power lines. This aircraft was part of a three-way lawsuit between the plane's owner, Bay Aviation, and Bay's local distributor in 1962. SV108D-2250 N430MD N8723ADestroyed in a fatal November 16, 1971 crash in New Hampshire, when both engines failed upon fuel starvation. The crash was attributed to pilot error (not multi-engine rated, fuel mismanagement). The last registered owner was Don Yenko of Yenko Chevrolet fame. SV109D-549 N3124V NC3124VOwned by the Beechcraft Heritage Museum. The FAA Registry lists it as manufactured by Pine Air, with an airworthiness certificate dated to 1970. N3124V suffered substantial damaged in a hard landing on August 27, 1964. SV110 N/ANumber not used. SV111 N/ANumber not used. SV112D-1243 N2115K NC4438V, N4438V, N177M, N249C, N68JS Destroyed in a fatal February 19, 1976 crash in Mississippi precipitated by a stall during evasive maneuvers. SV113D-1569 N551B NC551B It was profiled in EAA Sport Aviation and may be the last Super-V to be converted in California, as this serial number is specifically excluded from the Fleet type certificate. N551B is currently owned by the Warbirds of the World Flying Museum in New Mexico. SV114D-1388 N4559V NC4559V Presumed not airworthy in 1976, deregistered in 2013. Airframe sold in 2018 for restoration. SV115D-422 N772MD NC3018V, N1T, N9935R, N147V Sustained substantial damage in a nonfatal February 26, 1964 crash in Maryland, caused by deflation of the nosewheel strut. It was subsequently damaged in a nonfatal March 29, 1975 collision with fenceposts and later that year destroyed in a fatal May 30, 1975 crash in Omak, Washington. Both incidents were attributed to fuel starvation leading to engine flameout. SV116D-1640 N174SV N617B Rebuilt from SV101; it was destroyed in a fatal July 5, 1966 crash in Pennsylvania, precipitated by a stall. SV117D-1474 ? N457B NC457B Deregistered in 1981 and presumed scrapped.

Specifications

See also

References

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