Beechcraft Staggerwing
.jpg) Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: United States Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Beechcraft |
|---|---|
| Model | Beechcraft Staggerwing |
| Type | Utility aircraft |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | November 4, 1932 |
| Built | 1933–1949 |
| Number built | 785 |
| Registered in the US | 191 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | one, three or four passengers plus 125 lb (56.7 kg) baggage |
| Engine | Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1, 450 hp |
| Cruise speed | 202 mph (Beech Model D17S) |
| Range | 582 nmi (Beech Model D17S) |
| Service ceiling | 25,000 ft (Beech Model D17S) |
| Max weight | 4,250 lb (Beech Model D17S)
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The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American cabin biplane with an unusual "negative stagger": the lower wing sits ahead of the upper wing. It first flew on November 4, 1932, and 785 were built until civilian production ended in 1949.[1] In the U.S. there are 191 with a valid registration.[2]
History
In 1932 Walter H. Beech left Curtiss-Wright and started the Beech Aircraft Corporation in Wichita, Kansas. Its first project, designed by Ted A. Wells, was the Model 17: a fast biplane with an enclosed cabin for business executives, much like a private jet today.[1] The first ones cost US$14,000 to $17,000, and only 18 sold in 1933, but sales grew; each one was built by hand, with a cabin trimmed in leather and mohair for up to five passengers.[1]
Racing and war
The Staggerwing's speed made it a 1930s racing favorite: an early Model 17 won the 1933 Texaco Trophy Race, and in 1935 British diplomat Capt. H. L. Farquhar flew a B17R around the world, 21,332 miles.[1] Allied forces used it in World War II, and Beechcraft built it again after the war until 1949.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 191 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| D17S | 121 |
| G17S | 20 |
| F17D | 15 |
| E17L | 6 |
| E17B | 6 |
| B17L | 5 |
| C17L | 5 |
| C17B | 5 |
| B17R | 2 |
| D17R | 2 |
| B17E | 1 |
| C17R | 1 |
| D17A | 1 |
| 17R | 1 |
Specifications (Beech Model D17S)
| Item | Beech Model D17S |
|---|---|
| Crew | one |
| Passengers / capacity | three or four passengers plus 125 lb (56.7 kg) baggage |
| Length | 26 ft 10 in |
| Wingspan | 32 ft |
| Height | 8 ft |
| Wing area | 296.5 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 2,540 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 4,250 lb |
| Engine | Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1, 450 hp ("Wasp Junior" radial engine) |
| Maximum speed | 212 mph |
| Cruise speed | 202 mph |
| Range | 582 nmi |
| Service ceiling | 25,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,500 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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In late 1938, the Air Corps evaluated the Beech Model D17S for possible use as a light liaison aircraft. Photo: U.S. Military, Public domain -
Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: USAF, Public domain -
Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: USAF, Public domain -
Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: USAF, Public domain -
Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: USAF, Public domain -
Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: see the file page on Commons, Public domain -
Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: see the file page on Commons, Public domain -
Beechcraft Staggerwing. Photo: see the file page on Commons, Public domain
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Beechcraft Staggerwing
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Wikipedia, "Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.