A Mixture

[Bomber_12th]

Here is an assortment of screenshots from various flights in recent months, not previously posted. It's always fun, the challenge, to rely on more than just sky/clouds for background.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_1_zps335b6245.jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_1_zps335b6245.jpg.html)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_2_zpsc3f55990.jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_2_zpsc3f55990.jpg.html)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_3_zps29e882c8.jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_3_zps29e882c8.jpg.html)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_4_zps646d9476.jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_4_zps646d9476.jpg.html)

[Bomber_12th]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_5_zpsacfbd503.jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_5_zpsacfbd503.jpg.html)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_6_zps2b2521ab.jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_6_zps2b2521ab.jpg.html)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_7_zps3ed7529f.jpg~original (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/fall_favs_7_zps3ed7529f.jpg.html)

[Mach3DS]

Great Shots John! How do you like the GeeBee? I've been thinking of picking it up? Should I?

[Bomber_12th]

Thank you Rick!

Regarding the Alabeo Gee Bee Z...

I've always been interested in the Gee Bee series (though namely the R-1 and R-2), as it was one of my dad's favorite aircraft and naturally he passed that interest in the type onto me. I find the Alabeo Gee Bee Z a fantastic depiction/reproduction (I personally couldn't imagine it being any better), and based on how Delmar Benjamin has described flying the Gee Bee Z (and R-2), it handles just as I believe it should. I've felt that the Alphasim Gee Bee R also has very accurate flight dynamics, but what I find so great about the Alabeo Gee Bee Z flight model, is that it not only flies accurately, but it also decelerates accurately too while in-flight (not speeding up excessively in a shallow descent), and doesn't require an absurdly-long landing run - it is not afraid to reward you when you do things right, but it will bight you, quite quickly, if you do things wrong.

Delmar Benjamin did the flight testing on Kermit Weeks' accurate Gee Bee Z replica, doing 12 flights in all. Delmar stated, after the fact, that the Gee Bee Z is his favorite aircraft of all time, and the 12 flights he did in the aircraft were the most fun he has ever experienced in an airplane. Delmar of course also accumulated something like over 1,000 hrs flying his beloved and accurate Gee Bee R-2 replica (thus making the Gee Bee Z claim even more interesting), and he has also flown accurate replicas of the Gee Bee Y and Gee Bee E as well (making him the only individual to have flown all four types - the E, R, Y, and Z).

Just like the real aircraft, the Alabeo Gee Bee Z is fun and it's challenging, and it is fun for the challenge. Unless you stick a virtual cushion under your butt and put your virtual head against the top of the canopy, you can't see anything ahead of you until the tail comes up on take-off, which doesn't happen until close to 50 kts with forward-stick (too much forward stick and you'll quickly nose over). Landing is always exciting, for the lack of vision over the nose and having to be very careful about your airspeed. As my typical landing approach goes, with the Gee Bee I always make one constantly-turning curve from downwind to final, adding some side-slip on final/short final if needed, both for a better view of the runway and to further bleed off any excess speed. I never start my approach higher than 110-120 kts, and ideally I like to flare (always making a main wheel landing with the Gee Bee Z and R) at 90 kts. Anything much slower than that and the ailerons will stall (in the sim, it comes across as general stall behavior, if you flare at around 80-kts or lower). You're not supposed to try and land it in a three-point attitude, as to do so the airspeed will be too low, causing the ailerons to stall, and thus aileron reversal. As I recall, on the very first landing that Delmar Benjamin attempted with his accurate Gee Bee R-2 replica, he very nearly wrapped it up, as he tried touching down in a three-point attitude (airspeed too low).

In-flight, the aircraft is simply a thrill to toss around - speedy and very aerobatic. The aircraft loves rolling-maneuvers, just as Delmar Benjamin found to be the case with the real examples.

[Mach3DS]

Sold! What a helpful mini-review John. Seriously. I'm sold on it. I've been wanting to get it for a long while but wasn't sure about the FDE. You're pattern description was very insightful and makes me want to purchase this one, asap! Thanks again!

[Dimus]

Here is an assortment of screenshots from various flights in recent months, not previously posted. It's always fun, the challenge, to rely on more than just sky/clouds for background.


Your screenshot technique is amazing John! It reminds me of similar air to air shots of warbirds, published in magazines like the Aeroplane or FlyPast.

[noddy]

As usual outstanding.