Instruments standard on this model was clock, sensitive altimeter, air speed indicator, two tachometers, ammeter, composite engine gauges (fuel pressure, oil pressure and oil temperature), turn and bank indicator, compass, vertical speed indicator, two head temperature gauges, two manifold pressure gauges, gas gauge, temperature gauge with 4-way selector switch for carburetor, outside and cabin air temperature, vacuum regulator, fuel pressure warning light, elevator tab position indicator, flap position indicator, cabin door ladder, folding wing walks(4).
Special features were retractable landing gear and tail wheel electrically operated with auxiliary hand control, trailing edge wings flaps electrically operated or dual pilot control(4).
The local newspaper reproduced it this way: «Parker Buys $65,000 Plane. A new post-war model low-wing monoplane, purchased by the Parker Pen Co. has just been flown to the Rock County…. The sleek new silver twin-engine Beechcraft D18S, came off the assembly line just this week, replacing a smaller five-passenger Cessna aircraft. The plane is to be stored in a new hanger built especially for the Parker Pen Co. (5).»
John Fredendall and Lee Haynes were its pilots. Clayton Hansen, Arthur Hodge and Walter Jensen were among its co-pilots.
The sober but elegant style with which the Beech «51» was exteriorly decorated, maintaining the natural aluminum silvered of its fuselage with «wings» painted in yellow gold tones and golden touches in careen engines and the nose, would soon extend to the Parker «51» Flighter.
This plane belonged to Parker´s fleet until 1956, when it was transferred to Champion Paper & Fiber Co., Hamilton, Ohio.