The Staggering Bitch?

[stepwilk]

An Americentric question, but maybe somebody knows the answer nonetheless.

During the 1970s, when James Gilbert and I were at Flying, Gilbert did a Beech Staggerwing article in which, at one point, he referred to the Model 17 as "the Staggering Bitch." (We got a number of letters from Staggerwing enthusiasts protesting this heresy.)

Question: Is this something James made up, or was the Model 17 indeed jokingly known, at least among the irreverent, as the Staggering Bitch?

[con-pilot]

No, I've never heard it called that, not saying it never has been, but I've not heard it called such.

Sorry.

[Fareastdriver]

Same here. I flew one back in 1965 and from what I remember it was a real peach.