I often wondered why these GeeBees looked so fat. The answer I found was that they use the same radial engine as the B17 bomber did - and those engines were cheap and available as military surplus when the designers sat down to plan this bird.
Today the old round engines are beloved antiques, and rich aviation purists will pay through the nose to have parts and replacements made from scratch. Their prices would make an billionaire retch.
Holy crap! That thing has just enough wing to keep the ting from spinning with the torque of the engine! That thing has got to have the dead-stick glide ratio of a .50 cal round ball!
ReplyDeleteI heard that too Pete - they're widow makers designed to break speed records.
Delete...and also to break anyone in the plane! ZOUNDS!
ReplyDelete