Warbird Information Exchange

Was surprised to see the Gee Bee picture in the latest Classic Wings magazine!

Don Parsons - saw you took the picture... hope you dont mind but I will be bugging you for updates! I have pictures of that Gee Bee from years ago. Was a 20+ year project of the former owner and it was always fun to drop in on him.

If anyone saw the old Pancho Barnes movie this Gee Bee was used in the movie... Pancho was sitting in it doing engine runs at a "Lockheed" plant.

This airframe (replica) is more along the lines of the R-1/R-2 that was built from the two wrecks of the first R models. Wings are longer and are the Staggerwing airfoil. Overall it will be a neat machine... just not as faithfull to the original as Delmar's R model and the Eicher/Kimball Z model that are in Kermit's collection.

Let me know if you want more info.

I'll look for my pictures to post here...

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Blue Skies,
Dan
http://www.flytoanothertime.com

Hey Dan,

The Gee-Bee is currently sitting in one of John's hangars, awaiting its turn at the hands of Terry Chastain. Terry has to finish a Fairchild 71? and a Waco F-2 before he gets to start on it, probably sometime next year.

I haven't got my magazine yet, but can't wait to see it! My friend Glenn Peck rebuilt a Boeing Model 40 for the Ford Museum.

Don

Don,

Thanks for the status report! Will be neat to follow over the next couple years!

_________________
Blue Skies,
Dan
http://www.flytoanothertime.com

Here are the pictures from my collection of Jess Shryack's Gee Bee.

http://www.dtlinn.com/images/GeeBee/index.html

I found an article about it in EAA's Vintage Airplane magazine from July 1985. When I have time I will scan the article.

I have other Gee Bee material... will scan some samples at some point.

My interest in Gee Bee's grew when a friend from my local EAA chapter showed me his collection of Model D and QED drawings. Then I met Jeff Eicher and Kevin Kimball one year at Sun N Fun when I walked by them showing drawings of their Gee Bee project. Below is a picture of me next to Jeff Eicher taxing the Model Z out for display at Sun N Fun a few years back. Amazing story behind the Gee Bee line of aircraft.

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Blue Skies,
Dan
http://www.flytoanothertime.com

other than jimmy doolittle in the 30's & delmar benjamin's reproduction..... i sure don't have the guts to fly that notorious widow maker. their survival in flying the type (especially benjamin's flying it mlutiple times) is a testimony to their skill & professionalism as top notch pilots!! glad benjamin donated his to the air & space museum, before the odds of fate caught up to him. regards, tom

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Here is the article from EAAs VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine July 1985 on Jess Shryack's Gee Bee.

http://www.dtlinn.com/images/GeeBee/jessgeebee_article.pdf

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Blue Skies,
Dan
http://www.flytoanothertime.com

Thanks for sharing the article Dan!

Right away just by looking at the pictures and without reading the captions or article, I was able to pick out a whole bunch of PT-19 parts used in building the replica. Tail wheel strut assembly, rudder pedals, control stick, and torque tube socket, etc.

It's pretty neat how the lovable little PT-19 (to me anyway) soldiers on in so many different ways. From Weatherly crop dusters to replica Me-109's to replica Japanese Sonjia's, etc.

Anyway....VERY NEAT project, I hope it gets finished someday.

Steve