At 14:40 we get the R2 version instead of the earlier Z.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville_Gee_Bee_Model_R_Super_Sportster

 

I love retro aviation so the Gee Bee has always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid.

A few months ago I watched an interesting video where Kermit Weeks brought in an aeronautics engineer named Leon Tolve,  to perform vibration node flutter testing in order to investigate the Gee Bee Z's destructive wing flutter phenomenon at high speeds.   The aircraft would reach a destructive resonance frequency and disintegrate mid air.   Everything would appear fine until you hit the critical speed,  and then it would instantly fail.  Kermit flies his Z,  so he had as a vested interest in taking the time to analyze video footage of the fatal Gee Bee structural failure.     Very interesting story,   as Leon Tolve performed the same testing on US WWII fighters and cold war aircraft.   EDIT:  Forgot to mention that Curtis Pitts is present.   In 1977 Kermit bought a Pitts Special from Curtis.   Weeks modified it and used it in world aerobatic competition.  Also forgot to mention that Kermit gives Leon a ride in his P-51D.   Tolve flutter tested the P-51 during WWII,  and it was his first ride in one.   Forgot to mention that Kermit owns a Gee Bee R2 as well.

 

Edited April 27, 20224 yr by Waldo Pepper

Fantastic video, Waldo!

By the way I had zero trouble taking off my first try in the R2 (haven't tried the Z yet). AvAngel did have an issue in the top video.

Because I went to outside view where we see the cheat gauges and put whopping 28 up trim before giving it the gas. Plane will jump up very fast off the runway before it has too much  time to go squirrely to the side. I could easily take off 100 times out a 100. There's no flaps so it needs lots of up trim.

Edited April 27, 20224 yr by Fielder

Side note:  Link to FA08,  Kermit's "Fantasy of Flight" in Polk City,  Florida.    (Where that video was shot,  and a cool art-deco field to fly vintage out of.)

https://flightsim.to/file/16471/fantasy-of-flight-fa08

Edit:  If you want to laugh at the passage of time,  look at Kermit then and now.   1982 World Aerobatics Championship,   The "Weeks Solution".  /Dude can fly like a bird.

 

Edited April 27, 20224 yr by Waldo Pepper

34 minutes ago, Fielder said:

Fantastic video, Waldo!

By the way I had zero trouble taking off my first try in the R2 (haven't tried the Z yet). AvAngel did have an issue in the top video.

Because I went to outside view where we see the cheat gauges and put whopping 28 up trim before giving it the gas. Plane will jump up very fast off the runway before it has too much  time to go squirrely to the side. I could easily take off 100 times out a 100. There's no flaps so it needs lots of up trim.

I enjoyed that part of AvAngel's video.   /probably because "been there,  done that".  😁

54 minutes ago, Waldo Pepper said:

Side note:  Link to FA08,  Kermit's "Fantasy of Flight" in Polk City,  Florida.    (Where that video was shot,  and a cool art-deco field to fly vintage out of.)

https://flightsim.to/file/16471/fantasy-of-flight-fa08

Edit:  If you want to laugh at the passage of time,  look at Kermit then and now.   1982 World Aerobatics Championship,   The "Weeks Solution".  /Dude can fly like a bird.

 

Are we at the wrong airport?

Each pilot had to disassemble his own plane. So with screwdrivers other tools they carefully took their plane apart.

I think I'm gonna make the judges sit up on their feet while I'm flyin'.