The Beechcraft Staggerwing was the first aircraft built by Walter Beech when he broke
away from the Travel Air Company of Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Steerman. Designed by Ted Wells
it was the fastest aircraft of the day and was capable of speeds in excess of 200 mph (310 kph).
With retracting landing gear it was far in advance of any other aircraft on the market
and was quicker than the current airliners. For this reason it was used by Corporate America
and the first customer for Walter Beech was the then Ethyl Oil Company.
The aircraft used by Antique Airways was built in 1936 and was ordered new by a Queensland
grazier. Used by the RAAF in WWII until 1942 when it was impressed by the US Army and used
as a VIP transporter carrying such dignataries as General Douglas McArthur.
The name Staggerwing comes from the unusual negative stagger of the wings, where the top
wing is behind the lower wing, most biplanes have a positive stagger with the top wing forward
of the bottom wing, note the photo of a Tiger Moth.
