The Granville brothers first Gee Bee Sportster were fairly orthodox: but in 1931 they produced the Super Sportster Model Z which was pure racer, with a huge radial engine in a barrel like fuselage, stubby braced wings and enormous wheel spats.
With an engine borrowed from Pratt & Whitney and propeller borrowed from Curtiss, the Gee Bee Model Z Sportser entered competition. In one race, the Gee Bee averaged 267.342 miles per hour, the fastest speed ever recorded for a land plane. Later in the year with a upgraded 800-hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340, the model Z was clock in at 281.75 mph.
Piloted by Lowell Bayles it won the 1931 Thompson Trophy Race at 236 mph. In December 1931, while trying to set a new air speed record, Lowell Bayles had crashed in the Gee Bee and died. Movie footage and analysis of the wreckage revealed that a loose fuel cap had come off and smashed the Model Z’s canopy, causing Bayles to lose control
Engine 535-hp, supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Jr.
Span 25 ft
Length 17 ft. 9 in
Height 8 ft. 2 in
Wing area 75 sq. ft
Gross wt. 2,280 lb
Empty wt. 1,400 lb
Fuel capacity 103 USG
Top speed 270 mph.
Cruise speed 230 mph.
Seats 1
