Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Peter Kuypers displaying his Beech D17S Staggerwing, during the Duxford Flying Finale 2024. It's registered on the United States civil aircraft register as N18V.
Built as a Beech UC-43 Traveler and completed on 5 April 1944, with manufacturers serial 6769, this aircraft was part of an order originally destined for the United States Navy. Before delivery it was selected instead for supply to Britain under the wartime Lend Lease scheme. As such it was allocated a United States Air Force serial number of 44-67761, rather than a US Navy Bureau Number (BuNo). It was sent by sea to Great Britain (GB). On arrival it was allocated to the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and given military serial number FT507. In Fleet Air Arm service it was designated a Traveller Mk.I and served with 781 Squadron at the former Fairey Aviation 'Great West Aerodrome', Hayes which was requisitioned by the British Government during 1944 and would later be developed and enlarged to become London Heathrow Airport. It was also allocated to the military 'station flight' at Heston Aerodrome. After the end of World War 2 the aircraft was returned to the United States and passed to the US Navy as a GB-2 with BuNo 32898. It was retired from military service on 31 July 1946, initially going on to the US civil register as NC18, later changing to N18V.
From 1956 its ownership went through a series of private owners in the US before it was brought to the UK by racing driver Robs Lamplough, arriving at Duxford in 1979, where it was initially based, before it was moved to North Weald. It was painted in the markings, that it still wears, of the aircraft that was used during WW2 by Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands - the underwing serial number DR628 is incorrect as that was the RAF identity of another D17S Staggerwing that today survives on the US register as N295BS.
The aircraft was used regularly until 1982, then only flew once during 1984 and again in 1990, before going into storage. It was moved by road to The Netherlands during 2020 and bought by Peter Kuypers during 2021.
After restoration by Transal Aero Services at Midden Zeeland, it flew again and is now based at Leopoldsburg, Beverlo Airfield (aka Sanicole), Belgium.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
Peter Kuypers displaying his Beech D17S Staggerwing, during the Duxford Flying Finale 2024. It's registered on the United States civil aircraft register as N18V.
Built as a Beech UC-43 Traveler and completed on 5 April 1944, with manufacturers serial 6769, this aircraft was part of an order originally destined for the United States Navy. Before delivery it was selected instead for supply to Britain under the wartime Lend Lease scheme. As such it was allocated a United States Air Force serial number of 44-67761, rather than a US Navy Bureau Number (BuNo). It was sent by sea to Great Britain (GB). On arrival it was allocated to the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and given military serial number FT507. In Fleet Air Arm service it was designated a Traveller Mk.I and served with 781 Squadron at the former Fairey Aviation 'Great West Aerodrome', Hayes which was requisitioned by the British Government during 1944 and would later be developed and enlarged to become London Heathrow Airport. It was also allocated to the military 'station flight' at Heston Aerodrome. After the end of World War 2 the aircraft was returned to the United States and passed to the US Navy as a GB-2 with BuNo 32898. It was retired from military service on 31 July 1946, initially going on to the US civil register as NC18, later changing to N18V.
From 1956 its ownership went through a series of private owners in the US before it was brought to the UK by racing driver Robs Lamplough, arriving at Duxford in 1979, where it was initially based, before it was moved to North Weald. It was painted in the markings, that it still wears, of the aircraft that was used during WW2 by Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands - the underwing serial number DR628 is incorrect as that was the RAF identity of another D17S Staggerwing that today survives on the US register as N295BS.
The aircraft was used regularly until 1982, then only flew once during 1984 and again in 1990, before going into storage. It was moved by road to The Netherlands during 2020 and bought by Peter Kuypers during 2021.
After restoration by Transal Aero Services at Midden Zeeland, it flew again and is now based at Leopoldsburg, Beverlo Airfield (aka Sanicole), Belgium.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
