Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Gee Bee

5 comments:

  1. Fast but unstable machine. I guess cockpit design and the huge cowling didn't allow for much forward visibility. Speed was the only factor.

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  4. saw the replica at oshkosh in I believe '98(?)but more likely '95(jeez, I hate getting old). spoke with builder/pilot delmar benjamin who impressed me as a very good pilot. he told us the beastie was dynamically unstable in all axis except anything regarding down. It really liked down. Every control surface was susceptible to flutter when dynamically upset. the ailerons had issues with adverse yaw. but the engine was great. I thought it looks scary just sitting in the shade.
    But, holyshit, when you just don't know, back in the 1920s and 30s you just did it to see what happened to it and went on from there.

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  5. I think the engine cowling and nacelle on a C-117/C-47/DC-3 was bigger than the R2 fuselage. can you imagine 1344cu. in. contained in only nine cylinders?

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