Beech fighter designs...

lark

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I read a long time ago(the memory fails where) that Beech produced
a few fighter aircraft designs ( late 30's ?) using their -Staggerwing - principle.

Is there someone who knows more.(descriptions- drawings?)

Thanks...
 
My dear lark,

a little information may be help you,was Beech UC-43B with
Staggerwing and registration as NC1193V and N1193V.
 
Thanks Hesham,but the UC-43 was known very well and NOT a fighter (P or F) design.
 
My dear lark,

please read this;
 

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Hesham, a UC-43 and a C-45 are two different aircraft. The UC-43 is based on the Beech Staggerwing and the C-45 is based on the Beech 18 twin.
 
PURSUIT17.jpg

Model 17 based Pursuit circa 1932, drawing from 'Beech Aircraft and Their Predecessors' by Pelletier. The book lists it as the Model 17J, but
based on descriptions in 'The Staggerwing Story' by Phillips it is more likely the A17R, as the 17J was intended to have a two man crew.
A floatplane version was also planned with a single central float and wing mounted stabilizing floats.
Four .30 MG or two .30 and two .50 MG, provision for a 500lb bomb on the centreline of the land-plane.
Wright R-975E3 'Cyclone'.
Span: 34' 4"
Length:26'
Max speed: 220 mph at 2,000'
Ceiling: 22,000'
Empty weight: 2,650 lb
Max weight: 5,100 lb

BEECHPB.jpg

'Beechcraft Pursuit Biplane' designed early in 1940.
One 37mm cannon and one each .30 and .50 MG.
Allison V-1710 of 1,200 hp mounted behind the pilot, as in the P-39.
Span: 32'
Length: 36'
Max speed: 350 mph at 13,200'
Cruise: 318 mph
Max weight: 6,200lb


Cheers, Jon
 
This it is.Great find! I knew it was somewhere...
Thanks Jon...
 
You're welcome Lark.
BTW the wings from the Sword kit in 1/72 or the AMT kit in 1/48th could be used to model the A17R.

I've been thinking about modifying an Airacobra into the BPB.

Cheers, Jon
 
Excellent idea , but the Beech BPB fighter looks very sleek
compared with the P.39 , unless you have seen a side or 3 view
of the PBP to rely on...
 
Seeing as its an artists rendition, I'm not too sure how sleek it would have been. ;)

Check out artist's renderings and advertisements of the P-39 from the war period...it's much sleeker in those ads than it was in reality.

As to other illustrations, that is the only one I've ever seen.

Cheers, Jon
 
joncarrfarrelly said:
PURSUIT17.jpg

Model 17 based Pursuit circa 1932, drawing from 'Beech Aircraft and Their Predecessors' by Pelletier. The book lists it as the Model 17J, but
based on descriptions in 'The Staggerwing Story' by Phillips it is more likely the A17R, as the 17J was intended to have a two man crew.
A floatplane version was also planned with a single central float and wing mounted stabilizing floats.
Four .30 MG or two .30 and two .50 MG, provision for a 500lb bomb on the centreline of the land-plane.
Wright R-975E3 'Cyclone'.
Span: 34' 4"
Length:26'
Max speed: 220 mph at 2,000'
Ceiling: 22,000'
Empty weight: 2,650 lb
Max weight: 5,100 lb

BEECHPB.jpg

'Beechcraft Pursuit Biplane' designed early in 1940.
One 37mm cannon and one each .30 and .50 MG.
Allison V-1710 of 1,200 hp mounted behind the pilot, as in the P-39.
Span: 32'
Length: 36'
Max speed: 350 mph at 13,200'
Cruise: 318 mph
Max weight: 6,200lb


Cheers, Jon

Any chance of reposting those pics?
 
As requested:

The second picture is with an Allison 1,090 hp V-12 instead of the original 715 hp Wright Cyclone and the cockpit has been moved ahead of the wings
 

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Loren said:
The second picture is with an Allison 1,090 hp V-12 instead of the original 715 hp Wright Cyclone and the cockpit has been moved ahead of the wings

Was it intended to be a ground controlled nightfighter?
 
Grey Havoc said:
Was it intended to be a ground controlled nightfighter?

Don't think so, as it's a design from the early '40s, whereas, AFAIK, early warning radar wasn't
fielded (without great enthusiasm !) before the end of 1940. And those radar systems, still had
no means of height measurement, IIRC. So it would have been difficult to guide a fighter at night
to an intruder. Additionally, there probably still was no fear in the US to be attacked from the air.
 
Was it intended to be a ground controlled nightfighter?
Doesn't say. It just says that Beech engineers worked on a 1940 fighter aircraft evolved from the Model 17, no designation with it.
 
Loren said:
As requested:

The second picture is with an Allison 1,090 hp V-12 instead of the original 715 hp Wright Cyclone and the cockpit has been moved ahead of the wings

The whole Info and drawing.
 

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Greetings All!

Back in mid-October, I went to the "Beech Party" at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, TN. What a great event and what an amazing Museum.

In one of the offices was this fine model of the 17J-55 SL, very similar if not the same as Loren's posting with the 3 view. I took this as being a long distance racer when I saw it and the base seems to confirm that.

A beautiful model.... Mark
 

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Model 17 based Pursuit circa 1932, drawing from 'Beech Aircraft and Their Predecessors' by Pelletier. The book lists it as the Model 17J, but
based on descriptions in 'The Staggerwing Story' by Phillips it is more likely the A17R, as the 17J was intended to have a two man crew.
A floatplane version was also planned with a single central float and wing mounted stabilizing floats.
Four .30 MG or two .30 and two .50 MG, provision for a 500lb bomb on the centreline of the land-plane.
Wright R-975E3 'Cyclone'.
Span: 34' 4"
Length:26'
Max speed: 220 mph at 2,000'
Ceiling: 22,000'
Empty weight: 2,650 lb
Max weight: 5,100 lb

'Beechcraft Pursuit Biplane' designed early in 1940.
One 37mm cannon and one each .30 and .50 MG.
Allison V-1710 of 1,200 hp mounted behind the pilot, as in the P-39.
Span: 32'
Length: 36'
Max speed: 350 mph at 13,200'
Cruise: 318 mph
Max weight: 6,200lb

Cheers, Jon

update to post from 2007 with defunct image links
 

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