Beechcraft Staggerwing in flight

[OBIO]

Today, while working in my garage, I heard a nice rumbly, grumbly aircraft engine. Came out of the garage and looked skyward...and there cruising through the clear blue was a bright yellow Beechcraft Staggerwing. It is owned by a local business man who has a rather nice collection of vintage aircraft. I saw and took pics of this bird earlier this year when Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport (KMFD) hosted the 2nd Annual Airport Day. Was nice to see it up close and personal and even nicer to see and hear it in flight.

OBIO

[burcham8]

Oh, yeah, man, I know what you mean. When I was in seminary, my friend and I heard a round engine and looked up to see a Spartan Executive fly over on its way to land at Bowman Field. We were in the car and on the way to the airport MAYBE 15 seconds later!

Marc

[trucker17]

The only sound better then hearing a radial engine outside...Is hearing it from inside the aircraft.....
If you listen closely you can make out each sound that made them distinct from each other while outside....The stagerwing its the sound of the faint whistle.....The corsair its the pop of the prop...and while the oil cooler and radiator tubes are open the famous whisteling death sound....The B-17 its the quieter radial sound of all 4 engines....
Give it listen next time you hear one of these great old birds out flying around.....
each engine has a distinct sound to each aircraft.....This has something to do with the engine size and the size cowling covering the engine....Even a steerman with a cowling sounds differant from an uncowled engine......

[av8erjm]

Still waiting for a full fsx version of the staggerwing, anyone listening??? Milt, Lionheart, Carenado, anyone. I'd try but too old too dumb

[Tako_Kichi]

Still waiting for a full fsx version of the staggerwing, anyone listening??? Milt, Lionheart, Carenado, anyone. I'd try but too old too dumb
I know of one in production for FSX but not seen or heard much on it recently.

[andersel]

Still waiting for a full fsx version of the staggerwing, anyone listening??? Milt, Lionheart, Carenado, anyone. I'd try but too old too dumb.


I'd like to see a good "New Age" Staggerwing for FS9. Development technologies have advanced so fast in the last few years that a newly created D or G 17 would be really GREAT. The newest FS9 Staggerwing that I can think of is the one from SimTech. Am I correct in that belief? If not, where can I look?

LA

[srgalahad]

.
I'd like to see a good "New Age" Staggerwing for FS9. Development technologies have advanced so fast in the last few years that a newly created D or G 17 would be really GREAT. The newest FS9 Staggerwing that I can think of is the one from SimTech. Am I correct in that belief? If not, where can I look?
LA

Yes, the SimTech (now CR1) BE17 for FS9 is the one most people think of. As is often the case, you are looking at a lot of development for a complex shape for what may not be a large-market aircraft. The Staggerwing was a great plane and significant in it's time but bear in mind that, in spite of the enthusiasm we might see here, planes with guns and planes with FMC's tend to attract more customers than Golden Age executive toys. I supposed someone might have an idea to do a new one for FS9, but a lot of years have gone by without someone stepping forward.

av8erjm specifically mentioned FSX and these days that's where the payware developers are generally found. As Larry mentioned, there has been one in the works for FSX but no release date put forward.

Why just the D/G variants tho'? Personally, I'm hoping against hope that a future model would cover the early models too, but that means 3 or four fuselages/wings and 3 engines and their associated FDE's -- a significant project.

[andersel]

The Staggerwing was a great plane and significant in it's time but bear in mind that, in spite of the enthusiasm we might see here, planes with guns and planes with FMC's tend to attract more customers than Golden Age executive toys.

Why just the D/G variants tho'? Personally, I'm hoping against hope that a future model would cover the early models too, but that means 3 or four fuselages/wings and 3 engines and their associated FDE's -- a significant project.

I can do with out "guns and FMCs". One certainly can wish, though, can't one? I think that there are a lot of simmers out there that are just like me: Round Engine and Round Dial kinds of guys (and gals). For every minute that I spend in a tube or a vacuum cleaner, I spend an hour in a Golden Ager or a Warbird, radial engined, vibrator of some description. I honestly believe that a new Staggerwing would sell well. Maybe some developer would commit to doing it just for the love of the plane.

And I am certainly in agreement with you on earlier models of the Staggerwing. The more bi-planes the better as far as I'm concerned.

LA