what do we have here?

The two in the first photo, and the red airplane in the second photo, are Beech Staggerwings.

 

I believe the blue one in the second photo is a Howard (DGA-?)

 

Yes, you are correct; it is a Howard DGA. I recognized it but couldn't remember the manufacturer.

 

The -# depends on the engine type, which I can not discern from the photo.

 

Howard always said that the DGA stood for "Damned Good Airplane"... and it was.

The DGA-6 was "Mister Mulligan"... speed records.

 

For a brief time in the 30's the Stggerwing Beech was faster than any fighter plane the US Air Corps had

 

These are all highly-regarded classics, along with the Waco cabin biplanes of the same era.

 

The Staggerwing was also rare in that it had retractable landing gear...unusual with a biplane.
Was designed as an 'executive tranport'... leather interior, etc.

I think it was the first aircraft mass produced with the Beechcraft name on it.

Called a 'staggerwing' as the lower wing was farther forward than the upper wing. Only biplane that I know of like that. The opposite of the norm.

 

I noticed the Beechcraft logo script (on the tail,) is much like the Swallow’s, where Walter Beech worked earlier on in his career.

 

DGA-15P, first plane i ever flew in, changed my life.. My uncle flew it from Victoria BC to London England in the 71 air race. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/airshow/London%20-%20Victoria%20Air%20Race%201971

 

Some of the classics of classics!

 

Worked better than the WW-I DH-5, which also had staggered wings and was dogmeat for the Albatros fighters.

 

I am not familiar with the Howard DGA but it looks like a great plane.

I have been trying to find out more about the one photographed in this thread but struggled to make out the serial number. I think it is NC68231 and, if correct, this means the one above is a DGA-15P.

Robert

 

You can think of aircraft of this type as the bizjets of their era.

 

The Stinsons of that era were also pretty cool. Always liked the automobile style roll-down side windows.

 

Also plush velour upholstery , deep "cushiony" seats and a 32 coat hand rubbed nitrate dope finish in which you could see your reflection. They were gorgeous airplanes throughout. I remember ,also, that they had a 4130 steel tube wing structure, spars and ribs.

 

Not quite what my uncle described... he flew an L5 in the Pacific theater; WW2. A little South of gorgeous... haha.

But the civilian Stinsons you describe have a fabulous reputation.

 

You're correct but I have flown an L-5 and they are nice to fly even with the "bellering" Franklin. Typical Stinson.