In June 1939 Beech delivered three examples of its popular commercial Model 17 Staggerwing aircraft for evaluation as executive or courier transports under the designation of YC-43, leading in 1942 to an order for 270 UC-43s. A further 118 were purchased or leased from exiting owners to meet Army and Navy needs, those in service with the latter being designated as GB-2s. This one was BuNo 23733, registered N67198 postwar and after landing wheels-up in 1968, was donated to the USAFM in 1974. It is now displayed to represent a UC-43 assigned to the 8th Air Force in England in 1943