Gee Bee Model A

Granville Brothers Aircraft · USA · first flew 1930 · light aircraft

The Gee Bee Model A was an early air-racing monoplane from the Granville Brothers, establishing the distinctive stubby aesthetic that would make the later Gee Bee 'Supersportster' famous.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Very short fuselage with large radial engine cowl
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Stubby, barrel-shaped high-wing monoplane
Very short fuselage with large radial engine cowl
Small open-cockpit single-seater with fixed undercarriage

High-wing barrel fuselage with very short tail moment arm gives an almost circular side profile. Large Wright Whirlwind radial engine dominates the nose. Fixed spatted undercarriage and tiny open cockpit set far aft.

Specifications

The Gee Bee Model A has a length of 6.27 m (21 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.14 m (30 ft).
Its maximum speed is 253 km/h (157 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed and built by the five Granville brothers in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Model A first flew in 1930 and was entered in regional air races along the US East Coast. It won several events and encouraged the brothers to pursue increasingly radical race designs. Only a small number were built before the company moved to the more powerful R-series racers.

Variants

Model A (single primary variant); contributed directly to the Model B, Y, and ultimately the R-1/R-2 Supersportster lineage.

Where you'll see it

Used exclusively in US civilian air racing during the early 1930s. No military service. All original examples are believed lost.

Related aircraft

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