Gee Bees

[dad911]

[Ayles]

Always thought they were a super cool looking airplane.

[LWJ]

A favorite. Look like a cartoon.

[herr_oberst]

Fuselage is correctly sized to hold the pilot's brass balls.

[Jeff Higgins]

I've been flying a smaller "park flyer" sized R/C version for several years. Just like the full sized airplane, it's a relative handful to fly compared to other airplanes.

[dad911]

Love the Pitts also.

Jeff, is that bigger one electric? What brand?

Does it fly better than the small one?

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by dad911

.

Been in hot seat of this airplane.
Inside design open is.
Exposed view are fuel tanks, everything.
Surprised interior mostly air or fuel tank.
Single digit age Terv thought engine dominate space would.

R series airplanes; more pilots died or injured than planes built.
Delmar Benjamin brave ressurect and fly.
Steve Wolf skilled builder.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by dad911

Love the Pitts also.

Jeff, is that bigger one electric? What brand?

Does it fly better than the small one?

All of the airplanes in those photos are electric. The smaller ones are UMX brand, the larger Pitts is an E-Flite brand. In the photo showing a few other airplanes as well, you can see their batteries laying on the deck in front of each size of airplane. I get all of this stuff from Horizon Hobbies. Unfortunately, the smaller UMX airplanes seem to have all been "discontinued" in the last year, I suspect as a result of COVID induced supply problems with China. And the larger E-Flites seem to be kind of spotty right now.

I've since added the E-Flite Clipped Wing Cub to the fleet as well. The larger E-Flite airplanes are my favorites to fly, because they do fly better than the smaller UMX's. They do, of course, need more room, so sometimes the little UMX's can be flown where the bigger E-Flites cannot, so there is that.

Both sizes have some form of electronic gyro stability systems. They make a tremendous difference, and are very non-invasive. I've been flying R/C for almost 40 years, and up until the introduction of these systems, airplanes of these sizes would have been very difficult to fly. Especially a very short-coupled aerobatic bipe like the Pitts. These new gyro stabilization systems make these little guys "fly bigger", much more stabile than they have any right to be. It really, really makes all of the difference on that little Gee Bee - I'm convinced it would be un-flyable without it.

Here is a short in-cockpit video shot from my E-Flite Pitts:

[Flat Six]

Cool stuff!! I got to see the R2 flying replica at the Arlington EAA Fly-in in the early/mid-90s. Looked awesome . . . .

[Jeff Hail]

I have a nice print of that same Gee Bee. Been fascinated with these odd little aircraft since I was a kid.

[varmint]

years back i read an interview with one of the Granville brother' widows. probably in sport aviation. she begged people to stop building replicas of the planes. they were just too dangerous, and another guy had just died the year before.

[dad911]

Cool Print Jeff.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Flat Six

Cool stuff!! I got to see the R2 flying replica at the Arlington EAA Fly-in in the early/mid-90s. Looked awesome . . . .

Yes, I remember that - I was there as well. What a treat to see it fly. I believe it was Delmar Benjamin, wasn't it? I think his version of this airplane corrected many of the dangerous aerodynamic faults of the originals. Even so, he retired it after flying it for what seemed like a kind of short period of time.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Yes, I remember that - I was there as well. What a treat to see it fly. I believe it was Delmar Benjamin, wasn't it? I think his version of this airplane corrected many of the dangerous aerodynamic faults of the originals. Even so, he retired it after flying it for what seemed like a kind of short period of time.

Nope.
He was insistant on having it made as original as possible, and flying it as such.

A lot of the issues were pilots trying to land it in the wrong way, keeping the nose at the wrong angle.
Or, similar for take off.
Low hours in type yet competing in races.

Delmar liked the way the plane flew.
It was a busy plane on the rudders.
Coming in for a landing was the tough part as it had to come in nose high.
Nose high in such a short and thic taildragger makes for extra tough landing visibility.

[Jeff Higgins]

Interesting - I would like to see more on that. I had always heard that his design team had corrected some of the issues, as much as they could, anyway, in sticking with the original planform. I'm not refuting what you are saying, or trying to argue - I'm really interested in reading more on what went into this version. I remember something about exhaust in the cabin being a problem, which always struck me as curious. Seems that would be easily corrected, and would be kind of a priority to do so.

[Tervuren]

Things I seem to recall that changed with ! on what I place high accuracy for memory:
Disk Brakes!
Fuel system for inverted flight!
Oil system for inverted flight!
Variable prop?
Modified canopy mounting so it could be removed and used as an emergency exit!
Up to date radios.

I believe unlike the Z the original R's had counter balanced control surfaces, so I don't think that was changed.

He was adamant it had to be as original as possible in terms of aero.
Was part of the appeal of building a flying replica in the first place.


I'll have to hunt up my book that Steve Wolf and Delmar Benjamin put together on the build.
They werent allowed access to the plans, but there were suffecient photos to match up dimensions.
They also got access to a non flying airframe replica that had been built by the plans.


When it comes to in cabin exhaust,
Individual exhausts for each cylinder all the way around.
Cockpit is in low pressure zone.
Not sure what could be done.
If you seal the cockpit you run out of oxygen yourself.
How to resolve this without messing up the sound or look of the airplane?

[Jeff Higgins]

Ah, I love it - that is what is so cool about this forum. Guys like you. No matter the topic, someone has knowledge of it, either as a professional or as an enthusiast. Thanks for the insight and information - if you come up with more, please share.

I was unaware that these did not have an exhaust manifold, the big ring around the back of the engine. My God, that had to be a cloud of fumes to be living in behind that thing. Holy smokes. Literally...

[flipper35]

There is one available for X-Plane. At speed it flies well if you stay on top of it and are smooth with the controls. Once you get behind though, you use the file menu to restart the flight.

[flipper35]

Good article here on the QED as well with Mr. Benjamin and the R.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27966/someone-please-buy-this-biggest-and-baddest-of-gee-bee-racers-and-own-the-air-show-circuit