A few notes on Juptner:
I don't believe Charles Yankee and Walter Beech ever actually bought the company. They were however brought in as investors and given control of the company at the request or demand of the Army for the duration of WWII.
I question that civil production ended in October of 1942. I recall that all civilian aircraft production in the US was ordered to end in April 1942. They actually started with serial number 101. 100 was a test article that later was completed as a saleable aircraft. Starting serial numbers at 100, 101, or 1001, was and is a common practice. It was done with the Space Shuttle Orbiters with the Enterprise being OV-101, and they also had a test article that later became a flying orbiter, OV-099, Challenger.
I believe he is incorrect about the A-80-8 and 4AC-199 engines being available as factory options. I've seen no literature suggesting this. The A-80 is not approved on the type certificate, and I suspect the 4AC-199E3 was added to the type certificate after production.
Freedman-Burnham ground adjustable propellers were standard equipment on early Cadets, not an option. I don't know at which serial number they switched to fixed pitch Sensenich props. 12V battery was standard on the LFA, 6V battery was optional on the LCA. Cabin heater and fire extinguisher were standard equipment. Oil cooler is required equipment on the LCA, but some of the early LCAs were initially delivered without them before the Type Certificate was finalized. I also don't recall seeing any provision for a parking brake option.
I've read that Walter Beech invited some of the Culver employees to come work at Beechcraft at the end of the war, and I believe Charles Jamieson was one that did. I believe there is definitely Culver influence in the design of the Bonanza, but with the Jamieson J-2 being type certificated in 1963, I suspect the J-2 V-tail design was influenced by the Bonanza, although the V-tail on the Bonanza COULD have been Jamieson's idea when he was working for Beech.
