ORIGINAL: juanjm
Thank you for your comments Bull RCU, I haven't made my decision yet but I'm strongly leaning toward the 71' version because as you said it just looks bigger. What engine would you choose between a 4 stroke 120, 150 or 26 cc gasser? I'm looking to have good power on it, is the 120 enough?
Thank you.
I had an OS 120 pumped on my 71" version. It was enough power, but I had a ton of lead on the front. Near the end of las year I hit a bump in the ruway of our grass field and mine lifted off too soon and the tail droped and it was in hover mode which Gee Bee's don't do well... Needless to say the 120 was not enugh power to pull it out and it did a stall nose dive from about 20 feet. It busted up the nose and Insted of rebuilding it they are so cheap on ebay I just ordered a new one. This time I'm putting a Birrilli 26gt on it. Was going to put a Brison 40cc on it but decided to put that in my P-40 Warhawk. Check out the Birillit 26gt it's a really nice motor for the money. With magneto not EI he was selling them for $150 with muffler. This new Gee Bee will cost me around $500 to build not bad!
The only real problem I can see with the 71" version is the landing gear. My wheel pants used to catch the grass all the time and flip. I finally trimed them up to about half way up the tires and changed the angle in the front so when landing the pant would not catch the grass. Ended the problem just didn't look as nice, LOL but landings sure looked and sounded better. The dreaded sound of wheel pants catching "hearing that GOD awful Cracking sound and seing it flip over and taking the HEAD down walk out on the runway! If you haven't heard the Hollow ecco of the thump of a GEE BEE of this sz fliping and hitting the ground (Megga phone effect)... LOL You Will!!! There is a long thread under KMP Gee Bee same plane... It talks about reenforcing the landing gear.... A MUST DO...