Lindberg 70561 Gee Bee R-1 Air Racer — 1:32 Plastic model aircraft kit

Manufacturer: Lindberg
Kit number: 70561
Aircraft: Granville Brothers Gee Bee R-1 Super Sportster
Scale: 1:32
Barcode / UPC: 858280705616
Kit type: Injection-moulded plastic aircraft kit
Skill level: 2 / relatively straightforward construction
Original kit date: The 70561 boxing is associated with a 1992 manufacture date, although the underlying Lindberg tooling/reissue history is older.
The kit

This is one of Lindberg's larger-scale Golden Age racing aircraft subjects. The 1:32 scale makes the famously bulky Gee Bee particularly effective as a display model: despite the real aircraft being quite small, its enormous radial engine and barrel-shaped fuselage produce a surprisingly substantial model.

The kit is an injection-moulded plastic glue kit, listed by Lindberg/Round 2 catalogues as skill level 2. The 2007–08 Lindberg catalogue lists 70561 alongside the company's other 1:32 racing aircraft, including the Laird-Turner Meteor 70562.

Available kit descriptions specifically mention:

1:32 scale

Plastic construction

Pilot figure

Detailed cockpit

Detailed radial engine

Aircraft components and undercarriage

Decals

Rigging wire/fine wire supplied for the flying wires

Glue assembly

A modeller who built the kit notes that the supplied rigging wire is included and that the pilot figure is noticeably underscale, appearing closer to approximately 1:48 than 1:32. The same build describes the kit as having some soft/sloppy engraving and requiring filling and sanding in places, which is useful information when assessing it as a vintage rather than modern-tool kit.

The kit is specifically intended to represent the Gee Bee R-1, rather than being a generic Gee Bee kit. The R-1's distinctive short-range racing configuration includes its large engine and characteristic red-and-white racing scheme.

There are, however, some confusing references online because R-1 and R-2 kits are often discussed together. They were closely related aircraft, but the Lindberg 70561 is catalogued as the Gee Bee Air Racer/R-1, whereas Williams Brothers produced a separate 1:32 R-1/R-2 family.
Kit/tooling history

The Lindberg Gee Bee has considerable vintage-kit interest. The kit database records Lindberg 70561 as an injection-moulded 1:32 Granville Brothers Gee Bee, while the 2007–08 catalogue identifies it as a current Lindberg offering at that time.

It was subsequently reissued, so the 1992 date should not automatically be treated as the original tooling date. Collectors may encounter different box artwork and packaging while the basic kit remains the same.

The kit has also acquired something of a reputation among modellers as a simple but old-fashioned kit. Contemporary build reports suggest the basic shapes are recognisable and the finished model can look very good, but the builder should expect more traditional modelling work than with a modern precision-moulded kit. One experienced modeller described it as comparable to a good-quality short-run kit, with some untidy panel engraving and areas requiring substantial preparation.

This makes the condition of the contents particularly important when valuing one. A sealed kit is much more desirable than an opened example with the small rigging wire, decals or pilot missing.
The real aircraft

The Gee Bee R-1 Super Sportster was built by Granville Brothers Aircraft of Springfield, Massachusetts, specifically for the 1932 air-racing season. The R-1 and its sister R-2 developed from the earlier Gee Bee Model Z.

The aircraft was deliberately designed around one overriding objective: maximum speed in air racing. It had a huge radial engine, very short fuselage and an exceptionally large, bulbous engine cowling/fuselage combination. The unusual shape was intended to minimise drag while enclosing the powerful engine and fuel system.

The R-1 used a Wasp radial engine, while the R-2 was optimised for longer-distance racing with a different engine/fuel arrangement. The two aircraft looked extremely similar but were designed for different race requirements.
Jimmy Doolittle and the 1932 Thompson Trophy

The R-1's greatest claim to fame came in 1932, when Jimmy Doolittle flew it to victory in the Thompson Trophy Race.

Doolittle's R-1, registered NR2100 and carrying race number 11, became one of the most famous racing aircraft of the period.

It was capable of approximately 296 mph in a Shell Speed Dash, an extraordinary speed for a propeller-driven aircraft of its era.

The R-1's racing career was nevertheless extremely short. The combination of tremendous power, high wing loading and demanding handling characteristics made the Gee Bee racers difficult aircraft, and several Gee Bee pilots were killed in accidents.

The surviving reputation of the aircraft has consequently been shaped by both its spectacular speed and its dangerous reputation.

A replica R-1/R-2 lineage aircraft later demonstrated that, in experienced hands, the basic design could be flown successfully and safely, but the original aircraft operated at the limits of contemporary racing technology.
Specifications of the R-1

The important characteristics of the full-size R-1 included:

Country: United States

Manufacturer: Granville Brothers Aircraft

Role: Air racer

Crew: 1

First flight: 1932

Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp

Power: approximately 800 hp in racing configuration

Maximum speed: approximately 296 mph in its fastest documented racing performance

The aircraft's compact dimensions are one reason the 1:32 model is such an attractive size. The real R-1 had a relatively short fuselage but an enormous engine and extremely deep fuselage, giving it the famous "barrel with wings" appearance.