Hey, rowdog_14,

I have one of these in the hanger too, all asembled, just needs a motor and servos, ive been busy working on and flying the 27%GeeBeeY Senior Sporster from Pacific aeromodel. Love it flies great. Undecided on a motor for the GB R2 right know,Kinda thinking about a 1.20AX,havent done the reserch yet will see.But anyway good job.


GEE BEE AIRPLANE FAN

Here is a link too my maiden flight with the GEE BEE Y SPORSTER.

http://rcuvideos.com/video/GeeBeeY-wmv

Well folks although I don't have a Great Planes GB , I do have a CMP Gee Bee R2 . I'm on this forum because it seems to be the only current Gee Bee forum online right now . I just maidened my CMP Gee bee today and I have to say the thing flew like a trainer . I had differential in my Ailerons and both mounted about an 1/8th of an inch High , to act like washout .I couldn't believe how nice it flew ,the Landings were non eventful and stress free .All that apprehension for nothing I'm flying with Robart gear and no wheelpants yet . I want to make molds of those first seeing as you can't get them anymore

Congratulations on your maiden flight. I've got the Great Planes Gee Bee but also have a "no name" R2 that Hobby Lobby was importing a few years ago. Not sure if it's the same as yours. I ended up installing Robart gear made for the Great Planes Ryan STA as the Gee Bee gear was much too big. Post some pics of your setup when you get a chance.

Well GeeBee fans I just had a brainfart today while at the Hobby store . I thought about my gee Bee bouncing on the robart gear when landing ,thinking , I need some oil damping in the oleos to slow the rebound so's it won't bounce back in the air. Anyway long story short I piggybacked some heavy duty RC truck Oil dampers onto the front of my Robart gear .The whole thing will still fit under the wheelpants .I used some 80 weight shock oil and dyam it works great! It takes roughly a second for the gear to rebound back out now . I haven't flown it yet but I am rubbing my palms together . If I get access to a camera I'll post some pics .

Pencon, I hope that works for you but just in case you don't get the desired results here is what I suggest.
That plane is a wheel lander! If you will practice landing it on the main wheels and then let off of the elevator at just the right time, it will stick to the ground. Have you ever flown a cub? It is much the same. The elevator is practiced timing. Just as it touches down you have to let off of the elevator.
There have been so many postings about this thing bouncing. If you re-flair after each bounce it gets worse and even more violent each time. It is the same with a cub and this is where I learned that when they bounce on landing most of the time, then they need to be wheel landed. Don't set the plane up to float in, this helps it bounce. Also, don't try to three point it until you know it fully.
learn to fly with a couple of clicks of down in level flight. This will make a difference in all of your flying I promise.
This will also help out in landing it. If you are trying to put the plane on the ground, you are working too hard on landings. With the down trim, already in place, the plane will bring itself to the ground ever so gently, then all you have to do is hold it from touching down until you are ready and then just let off of the elevator! It really is that simple. Even I can do it!
The other key is to touch down close to the end of the runway. Set your idle low enough to give the needed braking for a slower landing, this will cut down the excitement and the roll out won't be so close to the other end of the runway.
Don't take any other plane to the field when you fly the Gee Bee. I will take you longer to learn the Gee Bee because you have to change with each plane. This is a no brainer. Any new plane is gonna be different from those you are accustom to. They all fly different! I guarantee you that unless there is a built in design flaw, it shouldn't take more than ten flights to nail that little pig down. Also, burn a whole tank of fuel on a regular basis practicing landings, touch and go, touch and go, touch and go, touch and go! Get the idea? This will help you to know your plane in all flying attitudes. I have been flying for 44 years and I still will burn a full tank doing touch and go's. Short field landings too are critical. It will make a difference in landing in tall grass and risking tearing your landing gear off and other damage or being able to 'stick it' in. Some times you can't do anything but level the wings and hope for the best. Then there are the other times.
Hope what I said makes sence. Please try it and let me know what you think. bird.

Bigbird I appreciate what you're saying and I have greased it in several times . Being a Gee Bee it is very pitch sensitive and I find that I have to add inputs by the thousands of an inch .I'll try the down trim Idea next time I go out . I've only had it out twice sofar . Last time I was out I burned about 4 tanks of fuel practising landings .Anyway my landings aren't perfect every time and the rebound damping will really help it stick to the ground . The dampers will easily hide under the wheelpants and are quite light .

Pencon, thanks for the reply. Good that you are doing the multiple landings. Yes they are pitch sensitive. Have you put an incidence meter on it? This might be a factor. When you have pitch sensitivity, it can come from wing angles and engine set up. If you don't have a meter try this; adjust your trim to fly straight with power on, then cut the power and see which way it goes, up or down. Usually up. If it goes up, that means that the engine thrust is keeping it level at full power, usually this is the determining factor, it means that you have too much positive incidence in the main wing. Some planes need a certain degree of positive incidence to fly good. Others, you can set at 0'. This means that engine thrust can be set very close if not at 0'.
But, can you see how positive incidence and down thrust can make it pitch sensitive?
One other thing to consider. If the trailing edge is tapered to a point, it will make it pitch sensitive also. You might consider building a new set of flat surfaces. Many planes that have airfoil surfaces need to be quite precision ships to fly well. Some times it just looks pretty but doesn't fly well.
I would not make them real thick on the t.e. What ever the trailing edge is on the H stab then you could taper them just slightly to off set the look and still keep some thickness and stability. Of course, this would be a last resort to replace them.
This bird is set up like the P-51 in that the H stab is higher than the wing. The P-51 is a tough one to three point because the H stab gets in the stall area of the wing at high angle causing it to be hard to control in the three point attitude. That is why it will wheel land better. It will high speed stall easier because of that too.
some bodies got to figure this bird out eventually. You guys have had more trouble with this little pig than most other planes on the market! you might find a you tube video of the full size doing it's thing at the reno air show and see how he lands it. I'll bet he wheel lands it!
Well, enough of my babbling on. Let me know what you find.
I am sure GP has put a lot of research into this and all of their planes but sometimes you just can't cover it all. One always gets away.
Thanks for your time buddy. bird.

oops double post

Bigbird my Gee Bee is a CMP model ,not the great planes , but I'm posting on this thread because it seems to be the only GeeBee thread currently active . I think My plane needs up thrust on the engine mount because when I knife edge it ,It needs a fair amount of up elevator to keep it in a straight line , What do you think?

Pencon, what I have learned about the way it pulls when in a knife edge is; that if it pulls to the landing gear, it is tail heavy. If it pulls up, it is nose heavy. I am not sure if this is 100 percent true in all cases. Perhaps someone else could chime in on this.
As far as GP or GMP, a Gee Bee is a Gee Bee when it comes to configuration. The differences would probably be in the airfoil or incidence. I can't think of much else unless they stretched it a bit. Now that would be a good idea just to increase the coupling.
All best. bird.

I tried your landing advice about down trim and letting go of the stick after wheel touchdown on The realflight sim Gee Bee and I have to say that really works !At least it did on the sim.AT the most one bounce and then no problem at all . I'm going flying this weekend and I'll try your tactics on my plane as well as test out my real suspension .Realflight sim I find is very much like the feel of the gee bee ,especially the langings ,quite impressed with how close it is. I've been flying since 1990 but I thought I'd get the feel of the GB flight characteristics.I think most of the Hype out there is highly overexagerated because I was quite surprised how easy it flys

Good deal buddy. I look forward to your report. Like I said, the elevator thing is a timing thing. Once you get the hang of it, it will impress everyone!
All best. bird.

Well I took The GB out today and with 25 weight shock oil it is improved but still can bounce. I'm thinking of taking out the springs and finding some high density sponge to take the spring's place .That would autimatically dampen the oleo.Bigbird I tried your down trim Idea And I greased in the first 3 landings without a bounce . Had a few bounces on later landings tho .It does definately help . Thanks. I ran the YS120sc for the first time with 30 % nitro today and the plane now goes vertical . Awesome motor , I got it at an RC swap meet a while ago for 125 $

Good deal buddy, just remember that it takes practice with the elevator. Soon you will have it nailed down. Be careful with the high nitro. You can burn any percetage you want but,,,,, don't lean it out too much or you will push the best part of that engine out the exhaust!!!!
Also, I don't think you need to do any thing to the landing gear. You have already done more than you should. The key is "wheel landings" and timing on the elevator. That is all! Simple is smarter!
Okay buddy, keep up the good work and remember that this airplane is not as much a sport plane as others. This one, you have to fly all of the time.
Take care. bird.

bigbird3,Thanks for the tips on landing. I have GP GeeBee NIB and will start this winter. Could someone please tell me the largest prop that can be used with stock size wheels.This will help me in my engine selection. I may use better wheels but no larger because of the pants.THANKS

RACJ, just don't go bigger than the 1.20 they recommend and the prop won't be an issue. It uses a 16" prop. I'll be out in the shop for a while so I will check this later.
bird.

Racj , you might want to consider putting rc car wheel bearings in your wheels .They were about 2$ each and when I spin the wheel by hand it keeps spinning for quite a while. I figure any help is good to prevent nose overs .

I'm trying to decide electric or gas and prop clearance would tell me what size powerplants would work with in there best power range. I'm starting to sell all my glow engines and all planes that won't efficianty convert. 2010 goal= NO GLOW. THANKS RACJ

Electric may work well but theres no soul - wrong sound no smoke etc Nothing like a roaring 4 stroke on a GeeBee but to each his own I guess

Yeah the 120 4 cycle is a great choice. The OS 120 4 cycle is 33.3 oz, and setting up everything by the manual I added a 1 oz gold spinner hub. So I will say if you are going to go by the book get a engine that is no more than 34 oz. If you go with a larger engine you will need to move the servo/ battery tray around so that you will not have to add any dead weight to the tail. Also the Gee bee lands best with a 6 pitch prop, because 8 inch prop does not allow the gee bee slow done on the landings.

There in someone here with a super tigre 2300 (1.40 , 38 oz) engine in theirs and they said it flew great. The OS 1.60 is 32 oz w/o the muffler and with a bisson muffler it will come out to about 36 or 37 oz.

The OS 1.60 you could swing a 19x6 just fine. and the super tigre you could swing a 17x6 or 18x6.

The 19x6 will probably not give you good clearance, a 18x6 is the most that I would put on there.

My YS 120sc was swinging an18-6 master airscrew wide classic at 8400 rpm and that was with 15% nitro . I'll have to see what it can do with the 30 % . I had a 16-8 on it last time with unlimited vertical

I agree about the electric having no soul. I'll probably go gas. I have one gasser with custom muffler that sounds great. I have the new P.A.M. GeeBee with G-62 and it has decent sound. I have a Saito150(lighter than OS120) for this plane but I'll probably go gas. pencon,if you has 18" clearance thats plenty for the gas set up. THANKS

Yeah no problem with a 18 " prop but keep in mind mine's a CMP which is a little bigger than a Great Planes,

does anyone have a rudder they could part with my rudder was damaged in the box and I have yet to fly this model I took it to a local body shop but they cannot repair the old rudder is there anyone who can help me please!
Justin Poynter Peoria Il [email protected]