Video: Fantasy Of Flight's Gee Bee Z Recently Making Beautiful Music!

 I've been hooked on the Gee Bee Z and the R-1/R-2 1930's era air racers since I was about 3 years old. Seriously. My dad was Gee Bee geek from way back and he had some static models of them, and one used to hang over my bed when I was about 3. Even at that young age I knew there was something very special about a Gee Bee!

 This video from a couple days ago shows the highly accurate Z replica that was built by Jeff Eicher and Kevin Kimball in Florida back in the mid 90's. This aircraft has been part of Kermit Weeks' collection at the Fantasy of Flight Museum for many years now... and Kermit might be thinking about flying the airplane once again. They prepped the airplane for an engine run and made this sweet little video about it. I'm really glad they did that!

 Just looking at this airplane is enough to make your heart beat fast and streak glorious thoughts of Golden Age of Air Racing through your mind, but it's almost too much to handle when you get to hear that awesome Pratt & Whitney R-985 makes beautiful music too. And if you're wondering if this is the exact aircraft used in the making of my favorite Disney film The Rocketeer, it isn't. This one is built to be very accurate to the original. The one used in the Rocketeer was built by Bill Turner way back in 1978, and it was slightly modified with a little more wing and a slightly longer fuselage to make it easier to fly. It's on display these days at the Museum of Flight.

 So take a few minutes now and enjoy the amazing sights and sounds of the awesome and beautiful Gee Bee Z : )

 
Video screenshot: Fantasy of Flight crew pushing the Gee Bee Z out for the engine run
 

Screenshot: Gee Bee Z engine start up... blue smoke and beautiful sounds!
 

Screenshot: the 450hp P&W R-985 purring right along - maybe flying again soon?