Page 6 - August 2015 Volume 9, Number 8

Known as the Olive Ann Beech Staggerwing exhibit, this 1938 E17B is displayed without its fabric covering so visitors at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum can see the intricate design details. Olive Ann donated the original 1933 engineering artifacts used for development of the Staggerwing’s retractable landing gear. (PHOTO CREDIT: MELINDA SCHNYDER)
Pilots love the opportunity to park their airplane on the museum’s lawn and walk up to the entrance, a pathway that evokes a runway. The front of the museum campus is stunning, with a full glass hydraulically lifting hangar door welcoming guests and showcasing a 1943 Model D17S Staggerwing.
Once inside, every hangar, gallery and hallway is full of one-of-a-kind artifacts: Olive Ann’s original handwritten ledger from the factory, her corporate office furniture, hand-drawn aircraft paint schemes, bound collections of early photographs, wind tunnel models, the original landing-gear mechanism for the Staggerwing, aircraft cutaways, Thaden’s competition certificate signed by Orville Wright, advertising replicas and much more.
The 35 aircraft on display across several hangars include a Staggerwing, Travel Air, Twin Beech, Bonanza, Baron, Duke and a Starship.
“No question the centerpiece of the collection is the first Staggerwing and the first Beechcraft product produced – a Model 17R,” Wade McNabb said.
The first Beechcraft, a Model 17R registered NC499N, was test flown by Wilbur “Pete” Hill on Nov. 5, 1932, less than seven months after the company was founded. The aircraft served as the Beechcraft demonstrator until 1934, when the Ethyl Corporation purchased it. The aircraft was severely damaged in upstate New York in 1935. Nearly 50 years later, in 1984, museum member
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4 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
AUGUST 2015
IF YOU GO
Beechcraft Heritage Museum Tullahoma, Tennessee
Located on the field of the Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA)
Hours
March 1 through Nov. 30: Tuesday- Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. December through February:
by appointment only
Admission
Adults: $10; Ages 12-17: $5 Ages 11 & under: free Members: free
Membership
$50 annual dues or $1,500 lifetime
Beech Party annual fly-in
Oct. 14-18, 2015
Registration open to members and non-members
More information
(931) 455-1974
www.BeechcraftHeritageMuseum.org
Allow a couple of hours to explore the museum’s eight exhibit areas, more depending on how much of the files you want to explore.