Beech Staggerwing D-17



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Beech Staggerwing D-17

Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Edited by David Barth, October 20, 2008.

Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


Beech Aircraft designed and built the Staggerwing in 1932. Unlike most biplanes, this plane's lower wing was forward of the top wing, resulting in the nickname for this plane.

At the height of the Great Depression, aircraft executive Walter H. Beech and airplane designer T. A. "Ted" Wells joined forces to collaborate on a project many considered foolhardy - a large, powerful, and fast biplane built specifically for the business executive. The Beechcraft Model 17, popularly known as the "Staggerwing" was first flown on November 4, 1932, setting the standard for private passenger airplanes for many years to come. It was considered, during its time, to be the premier executive aircraft flying, much as the Gulfstream executive jets are considered in contemporary times.

Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


A fixed-gear prototype made the first flight on November 4, 1932. By 1934, Beechcraft had designed and built four models:
  • 17R (420 hp Wright engine)
  • A17F (690 hp Wright engine)
  • A17FS (710 hp Wright engine)
  • B17L (225 hp Jacobs engine)
All were fixed gear models with the exception of the B17L, which had a pneumatically retractable undercarriage. Of the three models, the B17L proved best suited to meet the market demands, and became the first production model.

Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


BEECH STAGGERWING PRODUCTION MODELS
MODELMANUFACTURE
DATES
DESCRIPTION
FROMTO
B17March 1934March 1936First production model.
C17March 1936March 1937
D17March 19371945(All were military models after 1941).
E17March 19371941
F17April 19381941
G1719461948


Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


BEECH STAGGERWING MILITARY DESIGNATIONS
DESIG-
NATION
MODELNo.
PUT
INTO
SVC
DESCRIPTION
YC-43D17S3450hp R-985-17 engine for evaluation by the USAAC.
UC-43Traveler138Production version with a 450hp R-985-AN-1 engine, 75 ordered for the USAAC and 63 for the United States Navy as the GB-1. 132 were later transferred from the USN to the USAAC.
UC-43AD17R13440hp R-975-11 engine.
UC-43BD17S13450hp R-985-17 engine.
UC-43CF17D37300hp R-915-1 engine.
UC-43DE17B31285hp R-830-1 engine.
UC-43EC17R5440hp R-975-11 engine.
UC-43FD17A1350hp R-975-3 engine.
UC-43GC17B10285hp R-830-1 engine, 10 put into service.
UC-43HB17R3440hp R-975-11 engine.
UC-43JC17L3225hp R-755-1 engine.
UC-43KD17W1This aircraft was originally built in 1937 for famed aviatrix Jacqueline Cochran. Cochran flew the plane in the 1937 Bendix cross-country race and placed first in the Women's Division and 3rd overall. She also set a Women's National Speed Record of 203.895 miles per hour using the plane.
GB-1D1710United States Navy transport version of the D17. All put into USN service in 1939.
GB-2D17271USN version of GB-1 but with a 450hp R-985-50 or R-985-AN-1 engine. 132 later transferred to USAAF as UC-43s. Also additional aircraft from a cancelled British contract.
JB-1C17R1Executive transport for the United States Navy.
TravellerI108British designation for the former US Embassy in London's YC-43 and 107 UC-43 and GB-2 aircraft delivered mainly for the Royal Navy.


Beech Staggerwing
Bill Jackson, ophthalmologist and Porsche car
collector, in the right seat in a Beech Staggerwing.


Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing


Beech Staggerwing
Beech Staggerwing