Gee Bee R-1 Aircraft Model

A big part of the Golden Age of Aviation, between WWI and WWII, involved air races where daring pilots pushed the limits of man and machine. In commemoration of the air races of the 1930s, the Museum’s model shop volunteers built this finely detailed Gee Bee R-1 painted in the colors of famed aviator Jimmy Doolittle. The original Gee Bee won the prestigious Thompson Air Race in 1932. With Jimmy Doolittle at the controls, the R-1 set a new world speed record of 296.287 mph.