Gee Bee Q.E.D.

Gee Bee Q.E.D.
The R-6H prepares for the MacRobertson Air Race
Role Air racing
National origin United States of America
Manufacturer Granville Brothers Aircraft, Granville, Miller & De Lackner
Designer Zanford Granville, Pete Miller, Don Delackner
Introduction 1934
Status under restoration
Number built 1
Developed from Gee Bee R-5

The Gee Bee Q.E.D. ("Quod Erat Demonstrandum"), aka Gee Bee R-6H, aka the "Conquistador del Cielo" (Sky Conqueror) was the last in a series of racing and touring aircraft from the Granville Brothers. Unlike the other famous Gee Bee aircraft, the Q.E.D had the distinction of never finishing a race it was entered in.[1]

Development

The Gee Bee Q.E.D. was started by the Granville Brothers in 1933 prior to their October bankruptcy. On 11 February 1934, "Grannie Granville" died in Spartanburg, South Carolina delivering a Sportster E used to finance a new company based in New York and called Granville, Miller & De Lackner. The R-6H (Q.E.D.) was completed later in 1934 for customer Floyd B. Odlum, with Jacqueline Cochran chosen as the pilot.[2] The touring aircraft was designed with large fuel tanks to compete in the MacRobertson Air Race from RAF Mildenhall in East Anglia to Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne. A Curtiss Conqueror was the specified engine, but a Pratt & Whitney Hornet was substituted to make the race delivery date.

Design

The Gee Bee Q.E.D. shares the same general shape as the Gee Bee R1 racer, but is nearly 10 ft (3.0 m) larger in span and length. The aircraft was powered by a 675 hp (503 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet. The fuselage is steel tube with fabric covering. The wings used wooden spars and ribs with mahogany plywood covering. The aircraft was painted bright green with orange markings to match the sponsor "Lucky Strike" cigarettes.

Operational history

The Q.E.D. failed to complete races for a variety of reasons, including a rag in the exhaust manifold, and a problematic cowling that came loose on several occasions.

Francisco Sarabia

In 1972, the Q.E.D. underwent full restoration in Mexico City,[7] and is on display at the Museo Francisco Sarabia, Ciudad Lerdo.

Variants

Gee Bee QED II
Gee Bee Super Q.E.D. II
A highly modified replica of the Gee Bee Q.E.D. was built by Jim Moss and assistants powered by a 1,425 hp (1,063 kW) Wright R-1820 Cyclone. The aircraft flew its first flight on 26 September 2013.[8][9][10]

Specifications (Gee Bee Q.E.D.)

The Conquistidor del Cielo at Ciudad Lerdo

Data from Sport Aviation

General characteristics

Performance

References

  1. Walter J. Boyne. Flying, an introduction to flight, airplanes, and aviation careers.
  2. Don Vorderman. The great air races.
  3. David Shayler, Ian A. Moule. Women in space: -- following Valentina.
  4. Sport aviation, Volume 45; Experimental Aircraft Association International Inc.
  5. Walter J. Boyne. The best of Wings magazine.
  6. "Filatelia De Mexico". Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  7. Skyways. April 2006. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. "Jim Moss's Gee Bee Q.E.D. Makes Maiden Flight". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  9. Sport Aviation. June 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. "The Last Gee Bee". Sport Aviation: 53. April 2014.
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