<p>The Beech YC-43 assembly line, <b>probably</b> Model 17R. This civilian type was the first production staggerwing model and featured a fixed landing gear. The photo was <b>probably</b> taken in the summer or early fall of 1942. <br>In late 1938, the Air Corps evaluated the Beech Model D17S for <b>possible</b> use as a light liaison aircraft. Three aircraft were purchased and designated as YC-43s. The distinctive five-place biplane featured negatively staggered wings - the lower wing was forward of the upper wing. The plane also had retractable landing gear and a minimum of drag-producing wing supports which combined to give the YC-43 a cruising speed of about 200 miles per hour. After a short flight test program, the YC-43s were sent to Europe to serve as liaison aircraft with the US Air Attachés in London, Paris and Rome. Assembly line - <b>probably</b> Model 17R. This civilian type was the first production staggerwing model and featured a fixed landing gear. Photo was <b>probably</b> taken in the summer or early fall of 1942.<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/cargo/c4/yc43.htm">Beech YC-43</a> (retrieved 7 January 2006) 
</p><p>This photo is not from 1942 but taken in late 1933 or early 1934. The aircraft in the foreground is the A17F being built for Goodall Worsted Corporation. Interesting too is that this picture is from inside the Cessna Aircraft plant on Pawnee (then Franklin road) although in a few months Beech Aircraft would move to the closed Travel Air facilitates at Central and Webb as Clyde Cessna and Dwayne Wallace had restarted Cessna aircraft.
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My guess is very early 1934 because the first B model (B17L) is under construction behind the A17F being constructed for Goodall Worsted. The first B17L constructed began right after Christmas 1933 and made it's first flight on February 27th 1934. The Goodall Worsted aircraft was delivered May 24th 1934,it actually had final construction on it and delivery at the former Travel Air plant that was now Beech Aircraft by May 1934. The third aircraft in the line should be the B17L that Wichitian Jack Gaty bought,it was delivered on July 4th 1934 In late 1938 he became a sales manager for Beech Aircraft. Look above in the rafters and you can see two Cessna model DC-6 fuselages.
USAF
circa 1942 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P,+1942-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902</div>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/photos/index.asp">National Museum of the U.S. Air Force</a> photo <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060516-F-1234P-007.jpg">060516-F-1234P-007</a>