Asobo is kicking off another wonderful series for Microsoft Flight Simulator that involves adding famous aircraft to the game. Separate from Local Legend, the Famous Flyers series debuts this week with the addition of the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing.
Featuring an unusual overall design, such as an upper wing offset further to the rear than the lower wing, the biplane has much better forward visibility compared to most other planes in its class. But the look is not the only thing that determined Asobo and Microsoft to add it to the game as part of the Famous Flyers series.
The Staggerwing boasts a cruise speed of 202 mph (341 km/h), which makes it faster than almost every other comparable civilian plane from the 1930s. Yes, the Staggerwing had its first flight in 1932, so this is a pretty old plane. Apparently, the Model 17 was made to order and assembled by hand in a bespoke manner, thus making the plane much more expensive and harder to sell.
In fact, only 18 planes have been sold after Staggerwing’s first year on the market, a number that almost spelled disaster for the company that produced it. Fortunately, the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing sold very well in the years to come, probably thanks to its looks and performance in the air.
Throughout its existence, the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing served as a military aircraft during the Spanish Civil War between 1936-1939, despite the fact that it was designed first and foremost as a civilian plane.
Also, the plane was used in the Second Sino-Japanese War by China as an air ambulance to evacuate wounded troops away from the front lines, a much nobler duty. Then, the United States Army Air Force and Royal Air Force used Staggerwings for use as light transport and utility planes during World War II.
Developed in partnership with Carenado, Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is now available for Microsoft Flight Simulator players on PC and Xbox from the Marketplace for $15.
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