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Beechcraft Model YC-43 (D17S) 17 Staggerwing – N295BS / 39-139 – Flying Legends Airshow 2012 Duxford. The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative stagger (the lower wing is further forward than the upper wing), that first flew in 1932. 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 private jet is considered in contemporary times. (Photo by Rob Lovesey)
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