Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

[Desertdawg]

How sweet it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADpfLN3cDzQ&feature=player_embedded

[ArmyMP]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

IF it ever raced at Reno, what class would it be in? The Storch looked good landing in the background.

[Race5]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

IF it ever raced at Reno, what class would it be in? The Storch looked good landing in the background.

I don't think it would fit in any class. Too light for Unlimited and the engine is too big to qualify for Sport.

[al baby]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

I Like

[AiRick]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

Cool, I would like to see it fly! What ever happened to this one.

[canadair]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

That is the Gee Bee R2, with Delmar Benjamin. Now also owned by Kermit Weeks and at his Fantasy of Flight Museum in Polk City Florida. Kermit also has the ex Jim Moss Super Solution, a Howard Ike, Brown racer, Gee Bee Model Y, a Lockheed Vega, and no doubt plans to get more racers.

The Model Z shown in the video was built by Kevin Kimball and Jeff Eicher, and sold on completion to Kermit, who did fly it at least once.

http://www.geebeefun.com/zeevideo.htm

In just a few years with the number and variety of racer replicas underway, there is potential to stage another Thompson or Bendix trophy.

[Race5]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

There is yet another Gee Bee R-2 being built, and supposedly a Gee Bee QED . The one I can't wait to see is the Hall Bulldog:

http://skagitaero.com/category/restoration

[canadair]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

Do you mean the R2 in Sequim WA?
There is also an R1 (1340 powered) in Indiana well on the way to completion.
Also underway,
The QED is in Buckley WA, and almost complete now.
The Hall Bulldog in Concrete, also well along
A laird Super Solution getting there, wings done, fuselage out of the jig.
2 Mystery Ships, one about to fly.
a Gee Bee Model Z, now up on the gear,

Those are the big radial racers underway, there are lots more of the inline racers.

Exciting times for racers,
my favorite is the Super Solution.

[Reever]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

With all of these replicas being built, it would be great to have a deep pockets movie producer come along and do a QUALITY production of the Thompson Trophy era. Just my little dream.

[Race5]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

Do you mean the R2 in Sequim WA?
There is also an R1 (1340 powered) in Indiana well on the way to completion.
Also underway,
The QED is in Buckley WA, and almost complete now.
The Hall Bulldog in Concrete, also well along
A laird Super Solution getting there, wings done, fuselage out of the jig.
2 Mystery Ships, one about to fly.
a Gee Bee Model Z, now up on the gear,

Those are the big radial racers underway, there are lots more of the inline racers.

Exciting times for racers,
my favorite is the Super Solution.

Does Jim Moss still fly his Super Solution?

[wolfee]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

I LOVE the golden era of air racing, Those planes were so beautiful.

How awesome would it be to see a new class in Reno called the Bendix class, featuring all these air craft. Now that is a dream.

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

Bendix Trophy was the crosss country race & the Thompson Trophy was the pylon race. That would be great because some day the unlimiteds would be strictly for racing designs & not warbirds.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

I LOVE the golden era of air racing, Those planes were so beautiful.

How awesome would it be to see a new class in Reno called the Thompson class, featuring all these air craft. Now that is a dream.

Then lets dig a big ass lake in the middle and do a Schneider race!!

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

Then lets dig a big ass lake in the middle and do a Schneider race!!

Relocate to Pyramid lake, or Tahoe? Have it take place the same weekend as PRS, so we get two race weekends a year.
Will

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Gee Bee Z Engine Start Up

Delmar's R2 can be seen in this video from Moffett Field in 1999:

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s79LcCCszRQ[/YT]

Scott Crosby had a beautiful Gee Bee Sportster Model E in the 90's, but it got badly banged-up from an engine failure during a landing at a fly-in in '97. He was basically OK, but the plane was a write-off.