Walter H. Beech, who had previously been with the aircraft manufacturer Travel Air, founded the Beech Aircraft Corporation in Wichita, Kansas. The Model 17 Staggerwing was one of the company’s earliest projects.
The Staggerwing’s most distinctive feature is its negative wing stagger. Unlike most biplanes, where the upper wing is positioned behind the lower wing, the Staggerwing has the upper wing forward of the lower wing.
This unique wing configuration was intended to maximize pilot visibility and reduce interference drag between the wings (although it was later found to have negligible effect).
The fuselage was covered with fabric and faired with wood formers and stringers over a welded steel tube frame.
Performance and Features:
The Staggerwing boasted several features that contributed to its excellent performance:
Retractable Landing Gear: Uncommon for its time, the Staggerwing had retractable conventional landing gear.
Streamlining: Careful streamlining helped reduce drag.
Lightweight Construction: The combination of lightweight materials and a powerful radial engine allowed it to perform well.
Redesign: In the mid1930s, Beech undertook a major redesign, resulting in the Model D17 Staggerwing. The D17 featured a lengthened fuselage and relocated ailerons for improved handling.
Usage:
During its heyday, the Staggerwing was used as an executive aircraft, much like private jets today.
Its primary competitors were the Waco Custom Cabin and Waco Standard Cabin series of biplanes.
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