The Beauty |
Beech GB-1 Traveller 1939 The Beechcraft Staggerwing is a biplane with an atypical backward stagger (the lower wing is farther forward than the upper wingAt 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 Beech 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. The Model 17's unusual wing configuration—the upper wing inversely staggered behind the lower—and unique shape resulted in a design that maximized the pilot's visibility while minimizing the aircraft's tendency to stall. The fabric-covered fuselage was faired with wood formers and stringers placed over a welded, steel tube frame. The construction of the plane was complex and took many manhours to complete. The Staggerwing's retractable conventional landing gear, uncommon at that time, combined with streamlining, light weight, and its use of powerful radial engines helped it perform significantly better than other biplane designs. In the mid-1930s, Beech embarked upon a major redesign of the aircraft, to be known officially as the Model D17 Staggerwing. The D17 featured a lengthened fuselage that improved the aircraft's landing characteristics by increasing the leverage generated by the elevator. Ailerons were relocated on the upper wings, eliminating any interference with the air flow over the flaps. Braking was improved by the introduction of a foot-operated brake that was synchronized with the rudder pedals. All of these modifications enhanced the Staggerwing's performance, which would soon be put to the test under wartime conditions. Crew: 1 Capacity: 3 passengers Payload: 125 lb (56.7 kg) of baggage Length: 26 ft 10 in (8.18 m) Wingspan: 32 ft (9.75 m) Height: 8 ft (2.44 m) Wing area: 296.5 ft² (27.55 m²) Empty weight: 2,540 lb (1,150 kg) Loaded weight: 4,250 lb (1,930 kg) Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 "Wasp Junior" radial engine, 450 hp (340 kW) at 2,300 rpm Maximum speed: 212 mph (184 knots, 341 km/h) Cruise speed: 202 mph (176 knots, 325 km/h) Landing speed: 45 mph (39 knots, 72 km/h)) Range: 582 nm (670 mi, 1,078 km) Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m) Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s) Wing loading: 14.3 lb/ft² (70.0 kg/m²) Power/mass: 0.11 lb/hp (170 g/kW) USN90 René Hieronymus Scale 1:72 Building time: 27 hrs. |