Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster
Granville Brothers Aircraft · United States · first flew 1932 · light aircraft
The Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster is one of the most recognisable racing aircraft in aviation history, built by the Granville Brothers of Springfield, Massachusetts purely for winning the Thompson Trophy at maximum speed. Its enormous engine and minimal airframe gave it extraordinary performance and notoriously treacherous handling.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Rotund barrel fuselage dwarfing tiny wings and tail |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Rotund barrel fuselage dwarfing tiny wings and tail
- Wasp Pratt & Whitney radial nearly as wide as the fuselage
- Infamous 1930s US air racer with dangerous handling
Unmistakable: a near-spherical fuselage with the pilot's tiny cockpit perched at the very tail, an enormous radial engine that accounts for most of the aircraft's frontal area, and short stubby wings. No other aircraft has this silhouette.
Specifications
- The Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster has a length of 5.38 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.62 m (25 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 476 km/h (296 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The R-1 and R-2 variants were built for the 1932 National Air Races, where Jimmy Doolittle flew the R-1 to win the Thompson Trophy at an average speed of 407 km/h. The type's unforgiving characteristics led to fatal crashes, and no original examples survived intact.
Variants
The R-1 was configured for maximum speed with a larger engine; the R-2 had a slightly smaller powerplant and longer fuselage for better stability. Both variants were flown in 1932.
Where you'll see it
The Gee Bee Model R was a pure racing aircraft operated exclusively at air race events in the United States. It was never used for any military or commercial purpose.
Related aircraft
- Gee Bee Model R-1 Super Sportster
- Gee Bee Model Y Senior Sportster
- Gee Bee Model A
- Arado Ar 66
- Arrow Aircraft Active
- Beechcraft Staggerwing
- Beechcraft Staggerwing Model 17
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