I AM ABOUT TO BUY A COMPOSITE-ARF GEEBEE R2 W/93" SPAN.I THINK IT IS THE SAME AS THE FIBERCLASSICS GEEBEE.I FLY A GEE WHIZZBEE,HOVER,WATER FALLS, KNIFE EDGE, INVERTED FLATTTTT SPINS,EXC.1/3 SCALE WEEKS SPECIAL ALLTHE SAME BUT HOVER.33% EDGE ALL THE SAME PRETTY WELL.COULD I GET SOME INPUT ABOUT THE GEEBEE IN THIS SIZE AND TYPE /COMPOSITE.I HAVE A DA150 ALSO 3W100 TOC.THE PLANE THEY SAY WILL COME IN AROUND 30LBS.WHAT TO EXPECT ON TAKE OFF LANDINGS SLOW FLIGHT,ROLLS ,ROLLING CIRCLES,SNAPS, STALLS, AND RECOVERY. PLEASE NO CONJECTURE,JUST FACTS ON EXPERIENCE.
THANKS.
BOB WRIGHT.

I would say any GeeBee should be flown pretty scale. They are very short coupled and get yourself in trouble pretty quickly. If you want to fly alot of aerobatics fly your edge. They are a great show plane and will drawl a hell of a crowd. You will love the attention. People will walk past any big aerobatic plane and check out your Gee Bee. I would say try not to get it too slow. I have an 85" Gee Bee R2 that weighs 17lbs and it doesnt like to slow down alot either and watch the nose overs. Strengthen the tail and be ready for anything. You will love it! They are a great flying plane, just be responsible with it and you will have it for many years..

Thanks for your response. How can i get some more people to respond,mabie someone with the same plane???

Thanks
Bob Wright

Bob: I think that you will find, that MOST people, have no intention of treating that Golden Age Classic in the maner that you describe. Save the Showboating for the IMAC types, and treat the Gee Bee with the respect that it deserves.

Sorry,i think i have been missunderstood. i was descibing my ability,not how i was going to fly the geebee. I was trying to get a response for a little better than average flyer, what to expect. I can take off and land, i think very well, but i have never even seen a scale geebee fly.What about balance, also would it be a good idea to mabie put in a gyro?

Thanks
Bob Wright

You should have this thread moved to the Giant Scale or Scale aircraft discussion forums. You would have more responses in there. I wouldnt see the need of a gyro on anything. Nothing gets that wild that you would need one. All geebees land kinda hot. I think you could handle it with no problems from the desciption of your ability. The all fly like they are on rails in the air and you will love how they groove. My typical flight consists of loops, rolls, knife edge, inverted, high speed flybys. If its close to fiberclassics, i think there is a video available on the Gee Bee demo flights and you can see how they do. It might be worth the $20+ to see if you want one or not..

Todd

I think if its your plane, and you want to do tail touches with it, go for it! Its yours do what you want. I have seen the fiberclassics go, its pretty sweet!!

I have a 1/4 scale Gee Bee from Hostetler plans. Mine has a Quadra 52 for power and weighs in right at 20 pounds. My takeoffs are straight as an arrow. Best plane I have had for taking off. I add power and never even touch the rudder, elevator, or ailerons except for minor corrections if it is windy. I builds up speed and lifts off and climbs out without any major control input.

It slows down pretty good, better than I thought it would. It will drop the nose straight ahead when it stalls unless you are aggressive with the stall, then it will drop a wing (left I think). Landings I will keep a little speed up just because the elevator gets sensitive as speed decrease. I know that doesn't sound right, but that is my experience.

The plane is really in its element at full throttle. Everything behaves better and is smoother. The only major complaint I have about the Gee Bee R-2, at least Hostetler's, is that the ailerons are a little sloppy. Seems like you give aileron input and it will start a roll but then the nose will kind of wander. Same thing as you roll out of a turn, the nose wanders around a little bit. I suppose it is some adverse yaw occurring, but it almost acts more like a dutch roll tendency. Not a real problem but it takes a little getting used to.

Nice thing about this plane is the rudder. It is very precise and powerful. You give the slightest input and it goes where you want it to and stays there. Very nice! As for any coupling, there is none with rudder input and really isn't any with the ailerons unless you count the slight wandering.

All in all, the Gee Bee flies better than i thought it would. I wouldn't call it easy to fly but nothing to really worry about. Good Luck with yours...

-Scott-

Scott: What do you have your CG set at ?

My first flight I had the CG set a tiny bit behind the back of the CG range on Hostetler's plans. I can't remember what percentage that works out too though. I can look it up later. I also left off the wheel pants for the first flight.

She was very pitch sensitive but flew pretty good. I have since moved stuff around and added the wheel pants. This moved the CG into the CG range on the plans and it flies fine.

It flies very smooth and comfortable at full throttle and still manages to slow down pretty good (a lot slower than i would have ever thought it would).

Unfortunately, it takes up a lot of space in my garage and I need the engine and servos for a Super Solution biplane so i am trying to sell it. So if anyone knows someone around Eastern Tennessee that wants a 1/4 scale Gee Bee, send them my way and I can make them a pretty good deal on the airframe. My previous posts show the black and yellow covering scheme I used, so it isn't scale but still looks pretty good.

And this puts the CG ???????????????????????????????????

Who's Laird are you building? I'm putting stringers on a SS designed by Jim Pipino. Just got a almost new Super Tiger
2500 for it last week. Looking into building a 1/2 scale version...
only 10.5' span.

Al

Super SOlution is from NWHT. I've had the kit for a while now but absolutely no motivation to build it. But I now need the garage space under the box for the kit so i figured I better build it now.

Still didn't get a chance to look up my CG location. I know it is right at the front spar but I will measure it this weekend and let you know.

Anyone have any idea where I get a copy of the Graphics used on the LAIRD Super Solution ?? the two Flamingo's and the LAIRD / Chicago Label on the Rudder ??

thanks, zz

someone is offering me a Gee Bee that is about the size of the on in the picture. Should I take him up on it?