pipescs

I have worked up as set of plans on a "Gee Bee Model D Sportster" and started a post in the plane section of this forum but now realize I started it in the wrong section.

It is a 43 inch wingspan sport scale built around an E Flight 480 out runner/25amp ESC/2000ma battery. I am on the second prototype at this time having done the plans in CAD and gettin the short kit cut by Top Notch Products out of Tennessee.


The Model D was one of the early lesser known Gee Bee productions that led to the Model Z.

pipescs

I am not use to this forum and don't know if there are many scratch builders on it. If anyone is interested I will post it as a build along on the second prototype...

Here is a shot of the first prototype.

The short kit can be purchase from Top Notch Products and I can provide the plans

pipescs

This project came about after converting a .10 gas PT-19 design by Bob Somers into an electric. The original PT-19 being a great flier used an OS .10 and weighed 29 oz without fuel.

I worked up a set of CAD drawings adding a motor hatch, battery hatch and cooling system for a E Flite 450 out Runner. Total weight on the PT-19 came in at 23 oz. I limited the current to the motor to 12 amps as I was using a 1650 ma battery by Common Sense

It turned out so well I looked around for another project that I could use my motor mount set up along with the existing wing and battery compartment. I came across the photos of the D model Sportster in Henry Hafke's book and with only a slight change to the wingtips and larger fuselage came out with a faily simple design.

Hardest part of the whole project was to work up the laser cut parts needed to do the wheel pants and fairings out of. The pants are one of the cost drivers on the short kit as it took 20 cut parts to make them up. The Pants split on the centerline to allow removal of the inboard half. This gives access to the wheel after construction is complete. 1'4" dowls were used on the second prototype to keep them aligned.

An early goal was to produce a design that did not require a builder to have any specialty tools that would not be needed in any production kit today.

pipescs

These are the plans reduced to put here. They measure one sheet of 3' X6' and are full size. I am up to revision C as I am trying to get a few more oz of the total weight.

pipescs

As I said earlier the Gee Gee is a spin off of an earlier PT-19 electric. It is built from a short kit that Top Notch cut for me at a cost of $60.00

That may seem high in the world of ARFs and RTF models for under a 100.00 but if you are a scratchbuilder you already understand you cant build one cheaper than you can buy already put together.

I chose the Gee Bee for the Wow Factor that comes with the name. I was looking for a lightly loaded sport flier that looks like a racer from the 1930 period.

The short kit is put together so you dont have to lay up cowls or wheel pants out of glass. It is an old fashion Balsa and ply construction.

This is the fuselage being joined to F-3, F-4 and the battery compartment floor.

pipescs

To ensure the motor gets cooling air I built up the nose blocks in a way to have the scale air inlets duct the air around and through the motor.

The motor mount holes on the E Flite 400/480 out runners matches the old Speed 400 can motors so the motor plate is pre drilled for that range motors.

While a 450 would fly the model fine I opted to spend my allowance on the newer 480 and 25 amp speed control.

This is the make up of the nose blocks. The scale air inlet was located on the right side of the Aircraft as you sat in it.

I assembled the entire block with 5 min epoxy to ensure it would take the load of the motor back into the side frames.

pipescs

F-2 and the Nose Block assembly are added as you pull the nose together.