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MacRobertson Air Race Line up

moon puppy

moon puppy

Administrator
Staff member
Yous guys know I've got this thing about the de Havilland DH.88 Comet and the MacRobertson race.
I got two of the SBS Model DH88 after the two I did a while back succumed to heat in the move we made last year. I'm planning on displaying them in their race day colors of Black (Black Magic G-ACSP) and Red (Grosvenor House G-ACSS).

There's a photo showing Black Magic and the 3rd DH88, "the Green one" G-ACSR and a GEE BEE R6H which would have been flown by the real aviatrix of the era, Jackie Cochran. You know the female pilot who didn't crash all the time and get lost? I wanted to do this display, the two Comets and the Gee Bee.

Anyway I searched the other week for the Granville Gee Bee but it would seem the R6H was not a subject that model makers were interested in.

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Lw and Behold! My friends at SBS Models just released the Gee Bee R6H!! I'm jumping on it as soon as payday hits and we're going to make this happen.

sbsmodel.com

Gee Bee R6H QED 1/72 scale Plastic Passion SBS-PP04 | SBS Model - online shop, models, armor accessories

Gee Bee R6H QED 1/72 scale Plastic Passion, SBS-PP04, resin/clear resin/decals, Resin kit, Very limited production, master and built model by Gábor Szab
sbsmodel.com

Picture in your mind if you please, Oct 20, 1934, early AM at RAF Mildenhall, Black Magic, The Green One and Jackie Cochrans Gee Bee.

@paddy is that the RAF station you're close to?
 
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Its about 70 mile Bob. Mildenhall and Lakenheath are next to each other ...literally 3 miles apart.
Lakenheath is F15 and F35 and Mildenhall is Osprey, C130 and Tankers as well as special ops

Lakenheath
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Mildenhall
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Actually Google earth lets you go back to 1945 and its not a lot different apart from what looks like a B17 on the grass. it was built with the std 3 runway arrangement you can see. in the early 1930's
interestingly it was opened early after being built. this from wiki

RAF Mildenhall's premature inauguration was due in large part with its selection to host the Royal Aero Club's prestigious MacRobertson Air Race on 20 October 1934. At the time, the air race stood as the longest race ever devised, and attracted over 70,000 spectators to the airfield. Even more telling of the race's significance in the world's sporting spotlight, on short notice King George V and Queen Mary visited RAF Mildenhall the day before the race. In the end, pilots Tom Campbell Black and C. W. A. Scott flying the de Havilland Comet Grosvenor House, crossed the finish line first at Melbourne, Australia, less than 72 hours after starting the race.[6]
 
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Yep...Totally Missed this, this Morning.
That line-up picture is Awesome! Note the cowling is removed on the GB. So possible display option there Boss.

As for Lakenheath and Mildenhall...Oh the memories!! Spent 5 of my best Years in the Air Force stationed at Mildenhall assigned to the Special Operations Group. Did Desert Storm 2, many...many TDYs to the continent and "visited" to most west African Countries(not recommended). However, by far the best TDY was the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Our Special Ops Wing Flew 3 C-130s full and surviving Veterans and their families to Normandy and escorted them to many of the sites. It was truly awesome and most humbling to just site and listen to the stories.

Yes...Oh The Memories :salute:
 
Spent 4 wonderful years at Moldy Hole with the 2147th Comm Gp. Lots of travel and TDY to all kinds of neat places! Oddly
enough, one of the finest collections of Roman tableware was discovered just off the base in West Row.
 
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I really doubt any of those aircraft could carry that bomb load but I think the rest of that stuff will fit nicely. Thanks Saul!
 
moon puppy said:
I really doubt any of those aircraft could carry that bomb load but I think the rest of that stuff will fit nicely. Thanks Saul!
Click to expand...
True, but they would be hauling engines, wheels, and other speed racing consumables aside from fuel. Perhaps an ambulance to signify how dangerous these races were?

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It started with me Chris when I saw that DH88 kit a while back, when I looked at that aircraft I thought it was post war thing but soon found out it was not, very advance design. I think they built the DH88 just for the race.
 
I'm moving this over to Wesendorf Field and will use this thread for the building.
I'm off for 2 weeks with little to know obligations. close to finishing up the Airfix Mustang and I took a peak inside the box for the Gee Bee.

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Don't you just love the one page instruction sheets? I think I'm going to build both of the Gee Bees at the same time and see which one is show worthy. Lots of clean up to do and I will be going out of box on these.
 
I was thinking that was a single seat Gee Bee Bob. I see now it is a 2 seater so it must be a bit bigger. I think the single seater was tiny like my little Bugatti plane.
 
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