Thompson Trophy-winning classic raceplanes from the Golden Age of Air Racing, now available on the Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace.
That Microsoft flight simulator Team is pleased to announce their latest addition to the Famous Flyers line of aircraft, the Gee Bee Model Z and Model R-2 Super Sportster, single-engine, single-seat racing monoplanes designed and built by Granville Brothers Aircraft of the United States. The company (“Gee Bee” is a phonetic representation of the initials GB) produced a few different iterations of the design, most notably the Model Z and Model R-2. Each one is unique and is considered a historic great of the Golden Age of Aviation due to its one-of-a-kind looks and lightning-fast performance.
Spurred on by early success with their “Sportster” raceplane in the late 1920s, the Granville Brothers created their first Super Sportster, the Model Z, to compete in the 1931 Thompson Trophy Pylon Race at the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio The brothers, five in all, were pushing the limits of aircraft technology at the time to squeeze every possible drop of speed out of their design, including one of the first uses of a wind tunnel. The result was a racing legend with a stout fuselage, straight main wing, traditional tailplane and a cockpit located just forward of the leading edge of the vertical stabilizer, perhaps the Super Sportster’s most notable feature. Powered by a Wasp Junior 9-cylinder radial engine, the Model Z took first place in the 1931 Thompson Trophy and inspired the Granville Brothers to build even faster supercars.
The Model R-2 built for the 1932 National Air Races was built on the basis of the Model Z and looks virtually identical, the main difference being that the fuselage and wing of the R-2 are slightly longer. During the 1932 races, the R-2 placed fourth in the cross-country Bendix Trophy race and fifth in the Thompson Trophy race.
That Microsoft flight simulator Model Z and R-2 versions have been painstakingly recreated by Carenado to reflect the visual and performance spirit of these famous aviators for sim users. They are available today as a bundle for PC and Xbox for $14.99 exclusively on the In-Sim Marketplace. Download it now and get ready for an unrivaled airspeed experience!
Microsoft flight simulator is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows and Steam, as well as on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and PCs with lower specifications via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft flight simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on Twitter.
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Microsoft Flight Simulator is the next generation of one of the most popular simulation series. From light aircraft to widebody jets, fly highly detailed and stunning aircraft in an incredibly realistic world. Create your flight plan and fly anywhere in the world. Enjoy flying day and night and face realistic, challenging weather conditions.
