1:48 Gee Bee R1/R2 (model 1934-1935)

Gee Bee R1/R2 as it appeared in 1934 and 1935, 1:48 scale, A&A Models

The kit captures the American racing aircraft Gee Bee in the version designated R1/R2, that is, in the late form in which the machine started in the middle of the 1930s. The scale is 1:48. The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted.

The real subject

The Gee Bee racers from the Granville brothers are among the most striking machines of the golden age of American air racing. The Super Sportster R-1 and R-2 had an extremely short, bulky fuselage, a massive radial engine at the front and a tiny cockpit pushed almost back to the tail surfaces: the whole shape was subordinated to speed. The machines were reckoned fast but demanding to fly. After both original aircraft were lost in accidents, a combined variant was assembled from the surviving parts, and it started in the races of 1934 and 1935. It is this later form that the model captures.

Building and painting tips

The short, full fuselage calls for careful dry-fitting of the parts before gluing. Seams on the rounded surfaces are filled and sanded back to a very fine finish, because the final gloss coat will emphasize every irregularity. For a smooth gloss an airbrush and several thin coats with sanding in between are the best route. The radial engine and the exhausts are dominant at first glance on this type, so it pays to spend time on them. Apply a gloss coat before the decals and even out the surface afterwards as needed.

Who the model is for

• For collectors of racing aircraft and interwar machinery.
• For modelers who want an unmistakable shape outside the usual military subjects in their display case.
• For builders who do not mind tuning the fit and spending time on the surface finish.
• For lovers of the history of air racing in the 1930s.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.