GEE BEE Model Z Super
Sportster Page
Last Updated
1/25/99
Below are photos of my 33% scale Gee Bee Model Z Super Sportster
in several phases of construction. The airplane is being built from
Vern Clements plans and has a 94" wingspan with a 15.5" diameter cowl
but is only about 62" long. It will be powered by an Aerrow Q100XL
6.0 cubic inch engine that has been modified by Ken Laski. I plan to
use Stits cloth covering for scale realism and the incredible
strength I have heard it provides. I have been working on the
airplane since the middle of June '97 and I am hoping to have it in the
air by the first of the year in preperation for next year's USRA
Thompson Trophy races. The project is going MUCH slower than I
expected but it is my first scratch built project and I am spending a
lot of time just trying to determine what order things should be done
in.
After cuttung 54 ribs from about 13 different patterns out
of 1/8 balsa, I began to assemble the wing panel. I used carbon fiber
laminates on top and bottom of both spars and webbing between every
rib on the front and back of both spars.
I built the wing in one piece laminating the spars
together in the center section with long pieces of 1/8 ply and then
wrapped with Kevlar thread. I'll be REALLY pissed if this wing folds
on me.
Once completed, I sheeted the bottom side with 1/8 balsa
and installed the aileron's and their servos. Kind of concerned about
the large surface area on the ailerons and the potential for
reversal. I plan on keeping the throws small.
I deviated from the plans and built the fuse on a single
taper crutch. I'm very worried about the vibration a single cylinder
6 cube engine will produce. One of the hardest parts was creating the
wing saddle as the plans called for plug-in wings.
Added the stringers to the bulkheads and completed the
wing saddle.
One of my favorite photos. My wife asked "Is it a plane
or a boat?"
Pulled the fuse off the building board and began
installing the upper half of the fuse bulkheads and vertical
stabalizer.
Here is the Heartbeat of the project! This is my Laski Modified Aerrow
Q100XL mounted on Merle Hyde's latest "non-separating" mount.
I sure hope we don't see this attitude in flight:) This photo was taken
while the epoxy & fiberglass resin used to secure the firewall were drying. It
kind of shows the tail section, the wing fairings, and the top of the fuse planking.
Lots of pieces of 1/2 by 1/8 balsa!
I filled in the front of the fuse between the first bulkhead and the
firewall and then sanded it to rough shape. I have built up the cockpit cover and
canopy area where I plan to put all the switches and charging jacks. I tried here
to use a canopy from a GP Super Sporter 40 because it was as close as I could find
to what I needed. But after looking at it for a while I realized it just wouldn't
work. So I began building up and sanding a plug to have a custom canopy formed.
I bet your all wondering why the heck does he continue to build on
top of that stupid plastic saddle. Well it is because I have tried about four
different landing gear designs trying to get the best mix of strength and light
weight. I now have a fifth idea and I hope the next photos will show her
standing on here own wheels!
Well after MUCH deliberation and advise we finally decided to try this
design. I heli-arced these struts from chrome-molly tubing from Aircraft Spruce and
Specialty. It will hopefully provide both support for the fiberglass wheel struts
and pants as well as enough strength to take my landings.
Here she is just about ready for covering. I have the trash can sized cowl
(16 inch diameter) installed as well as the radio gear. I have chosen to use dual PCM
receivers & battery packs. One will control the left aileron, left elevator, and rudder
while the other will control the right aileron, right elevator, and throttle. The idea
is if I loose one MAYBE I can get her home on the other.
This photo shows one of my favorite views from the tail before covering. I hope this is
how my racing buddies get to see her at the finish line:)
This is my first Stits "Poly Fiber" covering experience. I began covering the rear wing
fairings and the bottom stringered portion of the fuse first. The covering is much
easier to use than I expected. Never having done this before, I read as much as I could
and called F&M Enterprises frequently. They were VERY helpful during this process. The ability to
control the shrink rate of the fabric through Iron temperature allowed me to remove all of
the wrinkles without warping the stringers.
As I progressed I learned more about overlapping seems and trimming the fabric.
Here is the fuse partially covered.
Here the fuse almost covered. I chose this photo because it shows the
tail control surfaces after covering. The Poly Fiber fabric is very easy to use even in tight
areas as you don't have to worry too much about the wrinkles as you apply it and you can
control the adhesive.
OK I have to admit I slacked off on the picture taking (and web site updates)
during final covering and painting. I was rushing frantically to get the plane ready for
the Rialto race in May. I actually let the deadline take some of the fun out of the final
phases of construction, but....live and learn. After missing Rialto, I set my target on
the final race of the year in Jean. This photo was taken at a flying field about 1/4 mile
from my house. As you can see by my smile, I'm happy she is done.
This snap gives you some perspective of how big the 33% Gee Bee is. I am about 6'-4"
tall. She came out weighing about 30 lbs which, I'll admit, is heavier than I wanted but I think
will still be OK for the 94" wing to support. Let's see now....how many G's will she pull going
around that pylon?
All the paint is Poly Tone from F&M enterprises. I chose Lemon Yellow and Dakota
Black for the primary colors with Pontiac Red for the trim pin stiping. This was my first
attempt at using a spray gun but everything went pretty well. I purchased the graphics from
Model Graphics in Texas. Very good quality vinal graphics and the package was very complete.
Well......Here she is. I'm happy with the way she turned out but as of this posting
I don't know if she will fly. I hope to take her out to the dry lake bed in the near future to
find out. But for right now..........
I think I'll just look at her for a little bit longer:)
I flew the Gee Bee Z three times. The plane flew very well almost like a pattern ship once in the air. Straight take offs required a LOT of right rudder. On the third flight I was flying in about a 25 - 30 mile wind blowing from my right to my left. I had the Gee Bee down on the imaginary race course and she was doing well. When it was about 100 yards down wind to my right the engine roared and I chopped power. By this time it is maybe 150 - 200 yards to my right but still pointed into the wind. Then I made a fatal mistake. Instead of just trying to keep the wings level and set it down into the wind I thought it was too far away and truned it back towards me. She began to sink rapdily and about six feet off the ground I ran out of up elevator. She pancaked pretty hard. Hard enough to drive the landing gear up through the wing and sever the front spar on both sides of the fuse. Then she tripped on her wheel pants and fliped over breaking the vertical stab, rudder, turtle deck, and canopy. I hope you aren't disappointed but I don't want to post pictures of her all broken up. I don't know what her future is. It would be fairly easy to convert her into a static model but to race her would require a new wing. I have re-played this crash a million times in my head hoping I can convert what I have learned into instinct that will guide me if this situation presents it self to me again. I guess only time will tell
Thanks for your interest
in my Gee Bee Z project!
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