11 replies to this topic

[mgbooyv8]

Hi Guys,

As Russ was an unconventional nice guy,
I feel an off-beat scratchbuild project is appropriate.

So this will be my very small tribute:



The Robert Starr Bumble Bee II,
the worlds smallest piloted aircraft.

Mr Starr sells plans of his little plane, so that's what I'm going to hunt down first!

Cheers,

Peter

[LSP_Kevin]

Now that's just out-and-out bizarre! Definitely a spot in Russville for this one.

Kev

[MostlyRacers]

Interesting Peter ! (can't say it's beautiful though.... )

I always thought that the smallest airplane in the world was Michel Colomban's "Cri-Cri", which is at least the smallest twin-engined airplane in the world !

Hubert.

[mgbooyv8]

Hi guys,

Well, Mr. Starr has reached a high age now, so his daughter is selling plans, pics and a video of the Bumble Bee II.
Last week I received the plans and pictures by e mail.
A CD with the video will follow (and hopefully with some more pictures!).
The plans are more like general sketches.
As Ms. Robin Starr explained, the original plane crashed on its second flight due to engine failure and no plans were made.
Therefore, the plans are partly drawn from memory.
However, some important dimensions and the aerofoil used (NACA 23012 so that's 12% thickness ratio) are incorporated.
Anyway, in combination with the pictures it's possible to produce a decent little model.

To give you all a clue of its diminutive size:
span = 5'6" in 1/32 scale: 5.24 cm
length = 8'10" in 1/32 scale: 8.41 cm
height = 48' in 1/32 scale: 3.81 cm

That's what you call LSP!

Hubert, the Cri Cri is indeed the smallest twin. I should build one also one day...
In the USA, several guys were competing to make the smallest piloted aircraft.
Eventually, Robert Starr made the smallest one, able to fly.
His previous, slightly bigger, Bumble Bee is exhibited in the Pima aircraft museum.

It's gonna be busy at my work the next couple of weeks, so it may take some time before I cut some plastic.
Stay tuned!

Cheers,

Peter

[geedubelyer]

Hi Peter,

This project is a hoot!
I'm looking forward to seeing her take shape.

[Azgaron]

Looks interesting Peter! Love to see it built.

Cheers,

Håkan

[Alfredo Rubio]

Hello guys, I am new here, and as some modelers likes dtrange planes, and the BB is one of them, as we know, there are no plans of the Bumble Bee II in the web, so some guys got some info from the Starr´s daughter in Arizona, so I thought to make some lines and this is the result, wath do you think?

Cheers.

Al

[LSP_Kevin]

Welcome aboard Al! This Group Build has been concluded for quite some time now, so it's unlikely that Peter's build will progress beyond what we see here already. Whatever happened to it Peter?

Kev

[Alfredo Rubio]

Kevin, thanks for the welcome, OK I will to see the forum to lear how it works and to post and lear from you guys.

The BB II definetely is a neat subjet to build, easy and not common airplane as all the micro real planes that flew before de BB II.

Thanks again, and lets see the forum.

Cheers.

Al

[mgbooyv8]

Hi Kev,

The Bumble Bee stalled in the process of making the drawings....
Anyway, thanks to Alfredo, I think I should continue it!

Hi Alfredo,
Welcome to the forum, have fun!!!!
I think you have prepared a good drawing so far.
I have to look at the pictures again.
I'm afraid I can't post them here due to copyright...

Anyway, the fairings over the cylinders contain an opening at the rear for thr cooling air.
The tailwheel looks sourced from a Piper Cub. The Revell kit is a good donor.
The picture in the thread and found on internet is a faded picture.
The other pictures of Ms. Starr reveal the BB2 had the same bright yellow colour as the BB1,
displayed at Pima. It crashed before the black stripes could be applied.
By the way, the interior was painted the same yellow colour.

Cheers,

Peter

[Alfredo Rubio]

Peter, thanks a lot for the advices!!!!!! about the color, I thought it was a less bright yellow and matt, but with your words, definetely maybe I going for the right way.

I going to study the cub´s pict to see the tail wheel shape.

The motor cooling holes will be simulated by black paint...mhhh!!! maybe not nice bou keep the estructural strenght in a card model.

Definetely...go for your model

Cheers.

Al

[MARU5137]

Peter

I just saw this and looks like an intriguing unconvetional designed craft...sorry I mean aircraft...

so how is this shaping up .