In 1947, following World War II, the American company Beechcraft Aircraft Corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas introduced a multi-purpose, single-engine, six-seat general aviation (GA) aircraft designated the BONANZA Model 35, designed by a team led by Ralph Harmon. The prototype for the Bonanza M35 made its maiden flight in 1945 but did not receive its airworthiness certification until March 1947; production began that same year and has continued uninterrupted to this day, making it the aircraft model with the longest continuous production run in history (with 17,000 units manufactured). Early models were distinguished by their "V-tail" configuration, while the first versions equipped with a conventional tail were named the Debonair Model 33 (produced between 1960 and 1995). These aircraft undoubtedly stood ahead of their main competitor the Cessna C-195, which featured a radial engine and a tail-skid landing gear given that the Bonanza offered a conventional retractable tricycle landing gear and a horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, which provided the pilot with superior visibility. Today, Beechcraft as a brand owned by Textron Aviation continues to manufacture the new and improved "Bonanza G36," equipped with a Garmin 1000 digital instrument panel (glass cockpit) and autopilot.