Hand-crafted Giant Scale R/C Golden Age Racer kits!  Racers : Gee Bee Z, sport scale model, GeeBee, R-2, Super Sportster, GeeBee Y, R2, R1, Z, Y , radio control, Gee Bee R2 in-flight photo page.

Gee Bee 'R-2' Racer In-Flight Photos

 We are always happy to publish photos of your Jack Devine models.  Photos will be returned (we promise!) after scanning if you cannot provide digital photos.  

"Well, I finally flew the Gee Bee R-2, and I'm still waiting to see if the second set of photos came out.  It was tough to catch a fly-by photo, as it really moves, and my buddy is not sure whether he had it in the frame when he snapped it!   The R-2 is an excellent ground-handling airplane, and the rudder is very effective.  The R-2 finished out at a dry weight of 19.25 pounds, which is extremely light for a GeeBee R-2 at a scale size of 1/3.5 with a sizeable gas engine in it, about ten pounds less than most other R-2 models similarly equipped.  I fired up the Q-52, it is turning a 20 X 8-14 prop and was tached at 5700 RPM on the ground.  This unwinds to about 6300-6500 in the air.  I taxied the the plane out to the runway, and ran it up to clear it out just before the takeoff run.  Off we went, and it really tracked pretty straight, requiring just a little right rudder to keep her that way.  Within 50 feet, she was airborne and climbing out.  A few clicks of elevator trim, and about 6 clicks of aileron and about the same rudder trim, and she was all set."  

"In level flight I noticed that the R-2 slipped to the left gradually, and would actually make a large flat left-hand circle hands off.  I attribute this to the engine torque.  The R-2 is basically a lifting/flying body, and it's so aerodynamic that the engine torque is enough to slightly change the flight direction!  During  the building of this model, I didn't add any right thrust to the engine mount, so I'll be adding about 2 to 4 degrees to compensate.  After initially wringing her out and feeling how she handled, I decided to see if she was as good as my first Gee Bee R-2.  I needn't have worried, and within moments had successfully flown a full-field knife edge, virtually hands off.  I balanced her CG at 20% to start with (Delmar Benjamin's is at 18).  After flying it at the field, I'm going to shift her slightly to 22%, I'll continue to work on that until I'm completely happy with all of the characteristics and let you know where we end up."  

"I was experimenting with the landing characteristics, and dropped it onto the runway from about two feet.  I dinged the wheelpants a bit, but otherwise caused no real problem (these planes are tough!), I fueled her up again and went for flight #2 !  On the second landing, I slowed it down some, but I bounced it some anyway, so I throttled it up and went around.  I remembered then that my first Jack Devine R-2 it really liked to be slowed down A LOT and dropped in with a 3-point landing or rolled onto the mains just short of dropping the tail-wheel and applying a touch of elevator to make her stick.  It's such a large model, and you have to make yourself remember that you can trust this plane to slow to a crawl and land beautifully without any tip-stalling tendencies at all.  It really floats in!"  ( Note:  Only Jack Devine's GeeBee R-2 model can claim these terrific landing characteristics, due to the super-light finished weight.)

"This GeeBee R-2 is rock-solid and looks and flies great in the air.  It's plenty fast when you unwind it, we clocked it with a radar-gun at 104 MPH!  And because it slows to a float-in landing, it really is the best of both worlds!  The second day of flying I got the chance to race it against a Jack Devine's Gee Bee Z, which was set up with a G-62, and was slightly faster.  I of course told him that I'll have to change my prop and come back and blow his doors off!  Man, did we have a blast, and that Jack Devine Gee Bee Z is a great flying model as well.  Before we were done, there was a crowd of 25 people there watching." (These Golden-Age racers have a habit of drawing crowds very quickly!!)

"I have to say, I'm a happy customer, and I'm glad I built my second GeeBee R-2 model from Jack Devine's.  I simply can't say enough about Jack Devine's kits!  I'll be forwarding those field and flight photos immediately, as soon as they come back, so look for them!"

Jeff Quesenberry

To see the Multi-Views of the Gee Bee R-2 Racer, or to get a copy of the same Multi-Views that come with your Jack Devine kit, just click on the Multi-View button below!

Click on the Small Gee Bee R2 below to return to the Gee Bee R2 Page

Check out these other Jack Devine Models!  
Just Pick, Click, and FLY to their page!

Jack Devine Models
14906 114th Ave. N.E.
Kirkland, WA        98034 - 1031

Business and Information line:  1- 425 - 822 - 8130

Toll-Free Order Line (Not for information): 1- 800- 897- 0717