Aircraft
Legacy Tails: Jet Commander
Jet Commander returned to the U.S. and has evolved into a Gulfstream
1124B Westwind II
The 1124B Westwind II delivered excellent performance at a reasonable price and low operating costs. © © AIN Archives

Born in the U.S. during the early business jet rush, the Jet Commander fell victim to American corporate laws but found a ready home in Israel, where the design flourished. Its derivatives later made a triumphant return to U.S. ownership, forming the basis of the smaller aircraft in Gulfstream’s prestigious range.

In the late 1940s, aeronautical engineer Ted Smith schemed a light piston twin aimed at the private and business aviation markets. The Model 520 bore a resemblance to the Douglas A-26 Invader bomber, upon which Smith had worked during World War II, but was smaller and sleeker. Its flat-six engines were also far more efficient—and cleaner—than the Invader’s radials.

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