Jimmy Doolittle Was Good!

He Tamed the GeeBee Plane To Set Records

By Johnny McDonald

"We began the project about three years ago," said project manager Ray Nobis.  "Bob Greenaway started it, worked on it for about a year until he became ill.  Then, I inherited it.

"We're kinda poking away at it.  No such thing as finding parts. We check the original drawings and start fabricating.   Some of the drawings are incomplete.

"Anytime someone starts talking about a completion date . . . we put them off immediately.  We're not on a time frame. We're about half done."

The Granville brothers had built an earlier model with hopes of selling them to the public, but during the Depression years they couldn't find a market for them.

Nobis said the brothers decided to build a racing plane.  Drawings were modified and a stronger Pratt & Whitney engine was installed.  The trouble was they had a plane that was difficult to fly.  

"It only had enough fuel capacity to run the closed course events." Nobis said.  "In landing, it had a tendency to flip over." 

The museum has many original photographs and detailed, but not complete, drawings. 

"We're not sure if these are the original drawings because after four fliers had been killed, they wouldn't allow anybody then to have the plans," said Nobis.

"It was over-built," appraised John Archibald, an engineer, who has been with the project a little over a year.  "The Granvilles said it was stress built for 12 Gs.  So there is more structure in the plane than you would ever use. I wouldn't want to fly it."

Was Doolittle someone special?  Well the Aerospace workers think so.

When Doolittle was introduced to the Gee Bee he gee whizzed:  "It's all engine with minuscule wings," he said.

After testing it he said, "She's got plenty of stuff.  Give her the gun and in just a few seconds she'll hit 260." 

He found in practice runs around pylons it had a tendency to snap roll.  The engine cowling had broken several of its fasteners and was nearly pulled away. And the controllable pitch prop was vibrating.  

Still, he mastered the Granvilles' pride and joy and set a world record of 296.287 on a straightaway course.

Later, his mighty mite dominated a field of seven other planes to win the 100-mile Thompson Trophy race.

Years later Jimmy Doolittle was asked why he took such a chance with the plane and said, "Because it was the fastest in the world." That was reason enough!

(Editor's Note: Johnny McDonald is a man in the know. For 25 years -- as the Motorsports Editor for The San Diego Union -- he covered all racing throughout Southern California and beyond, traveling to major races in Indianapolis, Daytona, Laguna Seca, Phoenix, Riverside and Ontario. Now, he's contributing articles about racing . . . and flying . . .  for us here at SpeedMachines Magazine. He'll be a regular contributor. More, he just completed another book, San Diego Motorsports, 100 Racing Years, and you can get a copy for yourself at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Autobooks and NHRA Museum, or P.O.  Box 601463, San Diego, CA 92160.  The price is $24.95, plus $5 for shipping and handling.)