History of Beechcraft Staggerwing C17B - NC47024

Serial # 102, C 17B, was originally registered as NC16443. It was delivered Sept. 5, 1936 to R. S. LeSage, Dallas Tx., registered, 1937. To Barney Cockburn, Arp, Tx., registered 1938/1939. Impressed as a UC-43G,42-88629, Sept.21,1942,at Stout Field. #102 was one often Cl7Bs impressed into the USAAC during WWII (USAAC is the U.S. Army Air Corp/Air Force), and so NC 47024 is an unique aircraft with a military history as well as a civilian history. To Fairfield DF, Oct. 7, 1942. Released to CAA on Aug. 18, 1943 with L-5 engine for delivery to War Training Service, Chicago, II. At Wright-Patterson Field, Sept. 1, 1944. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), Sept. 29, 1944. Reregistered after the war, as a civil aircraft with the registration number of NC 47024 in 1946. Registered to M. E. Whiteman, Los Angeles, Ca., 1946. Regd. Harold Mullcock, Ca., 1947. Regd. H. & P. Dawson, Eden Prarie, Mn., late 1940's. Regd. Harold Robinson, Baldwin Park, Ca., 1955. Regd. Roy Lufkin, San Fernando, Ca., 1961-63. Regd. H. C. Hanwarren Rubidoux, Ca., 1963-66. To H. Vigan, Willhnar, Mn., late 1960's. Regd. Fred and Marilyn Brown New Bern, NC., Oct., 1973. Regd. to Brown Ridgefield, Ct., 1978. Rebuilt by Michael Stanko, Gemco Aviation Services, 1982. Sold to Christine M. St. Onge, Wexford, Pa., Nov. 15, 1987. Regd. to Christine M. St. Onge, 1988 to present. Has optional T-bar controls (dual yokes).

Serial #102 crashed in 1939, and the fuselage from Serial #110 was used in the rebuild. Serial #110 was then retired. Serial #110 was C17B, NC 15838, completed Nov. 29, 1936 as a Beech Demonstrator. It was fitted with two skids to the underside of the Beechcraft, and with a special propeller brake to stop the propeller horizontally for intentional gear-up landings. This was to emphasize the "fail-safe" practicalities of a retractable undercarriage. Bill Ong (note the similarity of his last name to St. Onge) flew daily demonstrations to show the safety of the Beechcraft when landed with its gear retracted. Walter Beech had the model C117B (NC15838) specially prepared for the National Air Races in Los Angeles in 1936. In the 1937 Miami Air Show, Walter Beech piloted the aircraft for the demonstration of a gear-up landing. Serial #102 was also landed gear-up intentionally numerous times at the Cleveland Air Races. For all intents and purposes, Serial #102 is Serial #110, because, whatever number the fuselage is stamped with, that aircraft is identified with that serial number. Serial #102's fuselage is stamped with the serial number of #110. Because of the mounds of paperwork needed to make the necessary changes with the U. S. Registry, Serial #102 was not changed back over to Serial #110.

NC47024 is presently painted in the Olive Ann Beech and Louise Thaden colors, based on the 1936 Sherwin-Williams Airplane Finishing Specifications. The main colors are Horizon Blue, with Light Blue (Army Standard), Insignia Red (Army Standard), and White trim. It has the exact markings on the cowling the way Louise Thaden had on her C17 model Beechcraft in 1936 for the Bendix Air Race. The rest of the paint scheme is designed like Serial #110. The paint was donated by Buckeye Body & Paint Supply, Youngstown Ohio, Mike Scialabba, Manager, The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Of the 39 C17Bs built 5 are stored, one is dismantled, one is in the process of rebuild, one is on display in the National Air & Space Museum, one is on display at the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, and, only 3 are in flying condition, of which one belongs to Christine M. St. Onge, one is in NSW, Australia, and one in Vt., a total of 12 still in existence.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Berry, Peter. Beechcraft Staggerwing, Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: Tab Books, 1990.

Berry MRAeS, Peter. THE BEECH 17, Tonbridge, Kent UK:

Air-Britain (Historians) Limited, 1992.

Smith Robert T. Staggerwing! , Media, Pa.: The Private Press of Robert Stephen Maney, 1967

Smith, Robert T., revised by Lempicke, Thomas A. Staggerwing!, Kissinnnee, Fl.:

Cody Publications, Inc., 1979.

Staggerwing NC47024 is sponsored in part by:

Distributors of Aviation Fuels
Serving General Aviation in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland

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©1996 Purvis Brothers, Inc.

Last Update 26 Aug 1996