ISTAT Jetrader - Autumn 2019 - 43

and rebuilt, using parts of the R-2 -
sometimes the hybrid was called the
R-3. It also crashed on a test flight
just before it was to fly to Chicago for
the races there. The pilot survived.
With no more aircraft and no
money to build new ones, the
Granville Brothers' company was
closed and all the assets were taken
to a sheriff's auction to settle debts.

customer in Texas who asked him to
deliver it as part of the deal. En route,
he encountered heavy snowy weather
and tried to land at Spartanburg,
South Carolina. Just before touching
down, he spotted two workers on the
runway, and in avoiding them, the
Sportster stalled and crashed, taking
Granny's life.
The Springfield Airport where the
Granville brothers built their airplanes

no longer exists; the site is now a
shopping center. But not far away is
the New England Aviation Museum
next to Bradley International Airport
at Windsor Locks, Connecticut, where
you can find a Model R-1 Super
Sportster full-scale replica. Replicas
of Gee Bees can be found at many
other aviation museums, and a few
airworthy replicas have been built and
flown as well.

End Notes
What caused the crash of the Model
Z that killed Lowell Bayles? Upstream
of the point of impact were found
the plane's gas cap, pieces of the
windshield and Bayles' goggles. It
was believed that the gas cap came
loose, was blown aft, shattering the
windshield, tearing off Bayles' goggles
and knocking him unconscious, and a
reflex caused him to jerk the control
stick back, overstressing the wing -
probably all in less than a second. The
crash was filmed and can be viewed
by searching YouTube videos for "Gee
Bee Crash 1931."
Jimmy Doolittle was highly
respected for winning the Schneider
Trophy in 1925 and other races, as
well, and also made the first ever
blind instrument landing for Sperry
Gyroscope in 1929. He also earned
the first ever doctorate in aeronautical
engineering from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. Winning
the Bendix Trophy in 1931 and the
Thompson Trophy in the Gee Bee R-1
in 1932 gave him three of the most
coveted racing awards. With these
in hand, he swore off air racing. He
had an immense resume, but he is
probably best remembered for leading
the 1942 B-25 bomber raid on Tokyo
from the aircraft carrier Hornet.
Zantford (Granny) Granville
managed to get new financing to
build more airplanes but with little
success. For his last mission, he
owned a Model E Sportster that
he flew regularly, but in February
1934, in need of cash, he sold it to a

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