The Beech model 17 Staggerwing was the brainchild of Walter Beech,both Beech and Clive Cessna were concerned with designing and building aeroplanes for the ordinary man in the street,that was when the right moment came for them to take to the air.
The success of the Beech company today can be gauged by the production of 45,000 aircraft since 1932.
The Beech 17 set new standards in construction,stability and reliability,the most un-usual feature was to be its back staggered wings with biplane configuration,one of the reasons for this was to afford the pilot an excellent all round view,to assist structually and oddly enough wind tunnel tests had showed that the back stagger arrangement offered excellent stability at all the speed range of the aeroplane.
As was usual practise with American aircraft of this period a welded steel tube which was covered in fabric,an unusual feature was the main undercarriage units which were enclosed within large streamlined fairings which could be retracted in flight making the machine very streamlined.The enclosed cabin seated three to four passengers besides the pilot,the engine was the reliable 420 h.p Wright R-975-E2 radial mounted in a NACA speed fairing.
The excellent performance of the Staggerwing attracted a wide market, and the company continued to improve on the design which included the fitting of a wide track undercarriage to assist ground handling,also the later model B17L had a thicker wing which enabled the undercarriage to retract fully ,the fitting of a Jacobs L-5 made the aircraft even easier to handle,it was this machine that set Beech in the class as a major aircraft manufacturer.
The aircraft was also used by the military as the UC-43,serving with the U.S.Navy and the Royal Navy under lease lend agreement.
Suitability for a model subject-
Over the years there have been many kits and plans produced for the Beech 17,both for tiny rubber and Co.2 designs to large radio models,it offers an attractive subject which like its full sized counterpart has excellent flying characteristics.
