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This 3-view for the
Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is being offered free of charge from
Model Airplane News. "We became more than just a little excited when we discovered we
had complete sets of the original pen- and-ink drawings of the very first, fixed-gear
Model 17 (Staggerwing) Beechcraft from the master, William Wylam. These are superb collector’s
items!"
"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
(joined so that the external surfaces blended smoothly) with wood formers (a frame attached
to the truss of the fuselage in order to provide the required aerodynamic shape) and
stringers (longitudinal members of the frame of the fuselage, usually continuous across
a number of bulkheads or other points of support; also known as “longerons”). The Staggerwing's
use of retractable landing gear, uncommon at that time, combined with streamlining and
reducing the weight of the materials, produced an aircraft that could achieve a top speed
of 201 miles per hour (323 kilometers per hour) (but with a landing speed of a stall-proof
45 miles per hour [72 kilometers per hour]), and able to climb at 1,600 feet per minute
(488 meters per minute) to a maximum altitude of 21,500 feet (6,553 meters). " -
U.S. Centennial of Flight
See also Beechcraft Staggerwing
4-view.
<click image for larger version>
Posted December 29, 2011
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