granvillebrothers

Waco CSO A-3107

Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster NR2101, "Sprirt of Right" in ruins after a fatal plane crash which resulted in the death of air racer Cecil Allen. The caption under the photo ("He should have listened! CG limits are CG limits...") is explained in the Wikipedia entry for the aircraft: "After another rebuild, the Long Tail Racer was sold to Cecil Allen. Allen, against the advice of the Granvilles, modified it by installing larger gas tanks aft of its normal center of gravity, which apparently made the aircraft unstable in pitch from tail-heaviness. Allen took off with a full fuel tank, crashed, and was killed. After this final crash, the aircraft was never rebuilt." See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gee_Bee_Model_R

This is the Granville Brothers Model E Sportster, NC11044 (c/n 6) on skis(!). Note the Harris Tibert Company of Los Angeles logo on the side of the aircraft. Harris Tibert was to be a distributor of Granville Brothers aircraft. Enroute to the west coast the aircraft flew in the February 15, 1931 airshow at Chandler Field, Atlanta. While performing in the show the model E nosed into the ground, killing pilot Johnny Kytle. Interesting that the "NC" (or "NR"?) registration prefix is painted out on the aircraft. Here are additional photos of the aircraft and its ski-equipped landing gear in the William Munger Special Collection: