Beecraft Wee Bee
Beecraft · United States · first flew 1948 · light aircraft
The Beecraft Wee Bee was a tiny single-seat experimental aircraft designed in the United States in 1948, notable for being one of the smallest manned aircraft ever to fly. The pilot was integrated into the wing structure to minimise drag and overall size.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 4.32 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Extremely small single-seat American homebuilt of 1948
- Pilot sits within the wing for minimal wetted area
- One of the smallest piloted aircraft ever built
Almost unmistakable due to its exceptionally tiny size, mid-mounted wing with the cockpit integrated into the wing root, and single small piston engine.
Specifications
- The Beecraft Wee Bee has a length of 4.32 m (14 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 5.49 m (18 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 132 km/h (82 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Built by William Chana and Karl Montijo as a private venture, the Wee Bee demonstrated that a practical flying aircraft could be built to extremely compact dimensions. It attracted considerable interest as an aviation curiosity.
Variants
The design remained a one-off experimental aircraft with no production variants.
Where you'll see it
Flown as a private experimental aircraft in the United States; it never entered any form of commercial or military service.
Related aircraft
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