Beechcraft 17

One of a series of 4 antique airplane black and white prints completed by John G. Goebel (my father) of Baltimore, Md. The originals were created in the late 1970's. Dad enjoyed flying and fequently flew with friends who were private pilots.

The originals were found about ten years ago in my attic, and miraculously, still in excellent condition. After being encouraged by friends and aquaintances to market dad's work, we are offering the limited edition reprints for the first time.

The prints measure 11x17 inches, and are printed on high-quality white stock. Matted and mounted prints are suitable for framing in a standard 16x20 frame.

Individual prints will arrive in a crush-proof cardboard tube. Matted prints will arrive in a flat package.

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, lightweight, 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 increasin