Today, I made the first flight with my new Gee Bee from Kyosho. It was a disaster!
During speeding up on the run way I had to use enormous right rudder but oke, after take off, it put its nose in the air so I had to use down elevater. It also turned and I had to use FULL aileron (right). After a 180 deg. turn I thought I had it under control so I let go of the controls... It rolled over left and went straight down...

Anyone an idea??
not enough flying speed, CG not right...? I thought I had everything right but obviously not...

Sound more tail heavy than flying speed. These thing are pretty light on there feet. Can you tell me what engine? where the battery was? Any lead added?
David

Hi Daveopam!

I use an Irvine .46 for power, the battery is in front of the servos against the ply former... CG is about 75mm after the leading edge... (with empty tank)

I'm also thinking about tail heavyness... Where is your CG at...?

Thanx for helping me....

Ruudje:

The c/g on mine is at 2-5/8", the plans call for 70mm 2-3/4".

IF you had yours at 75mm 3" I believe your aircraft was tail heavy by your desciption of its flight behavor.[&o]

Hope you can salvage the airplane and if so go back and rebalance at 2-5/8 - 2-3/4" w/o fuel.

Best of luck with future flights.

Thanx!

I also think that was the problem. After I have fixed the broken items I will try it again with the CG at about 65mm....

By the way; I also have an Irvine .70... Would this be too much power for the Gee Bee...?

My CG is also at 2 & 5/8". And I slid the Saito .72 out an extra 1/4" on the mounts.
The .70 wont be to much power. It also wont help you that much. I think I would stay with the lighter motor.
Later David

I just picked one up used / New never flown with a Magnum 52 in it. I will probably replace it with more power for speed but for now I want to fly it. ? you balace it upside down... Also what was everybodys throws set at? I don't have the books. Thanks for any help anyone can give me.

Which way are you guys holding the Gee bee to balance? Upsid down or right side up. Thanks

I'm using an O.S . 91 fx two stroke in mine, and the balance comes out perfect. I would stick with a heavier model and keep the balanced towards the nose.

Today was the day. The Gee Bee had it's maiden flight. 2 flights on the Gee Bee, Motor was making a weird sound so took it home and have to take a look at it tonight. I have a Magnum 52 in mine. It is enough to fly the plane but would love to have more power. I will fly it with it for now, but will replace it with a 72 fs for sure. As far as trim adjustments I only needed 2 clicks of down and it was hands off. Didn't really get to do much with it because of the motor not running real well... Didn't want a dead stick. Any how they do fly and fly well at that!!!

A .91 fx that thing must be a rocket!!! I am using a 52 4 stroke in mine and it flys fine but not fast and no power for reserve. I had to add a 2oz prop nut and 14 grms of lead at the firewall to balance so I figure I have some room for a larger motor... I just want to keep this bird as light as possible. I am searching for a different motor for mine... I like the 4 strokes. I have a 61 tt pro in the basement I had in a Shoestring. I have a .91 fx too in a stuka. Seems like over kill for a little plane... WOW>. Love to see that rocket.

I have only flown it a few times, and it takes off in about 5 feet. Full speed passes are quite fast, I'm guessing slightly over 100 mph.

Wing seems plenty sturdy to take the hard turns. 1 bad landing and I have a cowl and wheel pants that have been awaiting minor repairs.

Today I went to the local Hobby shop and they had a new Saito 82A sitting there and it's the perfect fit for this plane so I steped up and throw down the cash... It's already installed... Suposed to rain tomorrow but will get it broke in and hopfully flying by Sat. or sunday!

So flew my Gee Bee with the 82a saito.. What a great combo that is. Everything went great with the flights. Had 6 on it... Went back to fly it again... My radio went bad. Baught a JR 8103 and set it all up. Went to take my first flight on the Gee Bee and something was really BAD!!! Think the battery came loose and went to the back of the plane. IT was totaly tail heavy. After take off it was super sensative. It wouldn't fly level. It would dive straight down and I would save it and it would go straight into a climb. Touch the alerons and it would snap over out of control... Talk about a ride from HELL. From a great flying plane to the worst nightmare flight I have ever had. A friend of mine was next to me and I told him there was NO Way I was getting this thing down with out totally trashing it. Any how after about 8 min of pure Hell I managed to get it under some control with using only the rudder and throttle for control. Any touching of the elivator or alerons and it would snap out or dive out of control. Landed it but it touched down hard and the wheel pants grabed and slamed over hard. Totalled the wheel pants and loosed up the gear area. Also broke loose the ply where the wing attaches. All is put back together except for the wheel pants have to order a new set... Any how all is well. Most there couldn't beleive I got it down without totalling it... Just a story to share.

Was'nt it great fun!!! I"ve been flying for many years and I have never purchased such a bad airplane. Squirrlly in flight, terrible. Dont waste your time trying to convince me its a good ARF. I have built well over 50 kits and ARF's and spent a lifetime with fullscales, I know my "stuff". Two flights and that was enough for me. Wait till you nose-over [from a slight bump on the runway] The Fricking replacements costs for a cowl and wheel pants came to $140 bucks. That did it! The word I got from GP was basically, "tough, if you want to fix up your plane so you can sell it to some other sucker, you"ll pay for the parts". OK, so thats what I did. You bet, it angers me but it taught me a good lesson, Be more darn careful when you buy an ARF, and really check the reviews. MM[:@]

I have to disagree...
Well, touchy on the take off I will agree, but if you have the CG right, it is a ***** cat in the air! Sorry Mormonmikle you dont like yours.

To all those that damage the GeeBee. I bought the $140 replacment parts when I crashed do to poor pilot judgment. However, Adrian Page makes a Z40 as well, and he offers replacement pants and a cowl that fit for less than 1/2 the cost of ordering the Kyosho. You do have to paint then, but chances are you are painting the fuse anyway. I only went the Kyosho route because I needed to get it finished for a flyin...turns out, I did not get to fly it anyway, but it got atttention.

Thanks
Kirby

Kirby,

While I appreciate the mention, I do not "make a Z 40 as well"......I make a Gee Bee Z 40. Kyosho makes one "as well." Mine was on the market many years before the Kyosho.

Adrian

Well Kirby, Allright, I've settled down. If it does'nt sell at the LHS, I might, just might mind you, reconsider and take it home till our new flying site is completed. Repair and use the old cowl and pants and give it one more try. Hows that? MM.

Here are a couple more pics.

Hey Bull did you fly yours with the rear landing gear strut covers on.The instructions say not to do that,just wondering as I am finishing one right now.

I flew mine with them on... Just have to make sure they don't catch when the forward pant pushes back. If seems like yours is going to then take them off. One word of warning... Make sure you take your time and set the CG perfect... or a little nose heavy. It is very critial with this plane. Also the elivator and alerons... go to low rates till you get used to the plane... I love mine and they fly great...

anyone have the book... Been a while since I flew mine and put skis on it for winter flying and need to find out recommended throws and CG point from book... thanks.

Hello there,
I am just putting together a new Z40 from Kyosho as a landing-trainer before I dare to fly a Gee Bee R2 from Adrian Page
Anybody have an idea what incidince between wing and tail should be? Mine can be anywhere from +1 to +2 Degree?

Hope anybody have an answer as I am about to glue the tail in.

Many thanks

Regards
Roy