Granville Gee Bee Model Y Senior Sportster

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The Granville Gee Bee Model Y Senior Sportster was a US sport plane from the early 1930s built by the Granville Brothers. It was an enlarged two-seat version of their single-seat Sportster, a low-wing monoplane with a simple strut-and-wire setup, open cockpits, and fixed tailskid landing gear.

Two were built. The first, X 11049, stayed with the Granville Brothers and raced in many events, flown by Maude Tait, Russell Boardman, and others. It later served as a support aircraft for the R-1 and R-2 racers. The second, NR718Y, was made for the Cord Auto Company as an engine testbed for the Lycoming R-680 engine. It was later fitted with a Wright Whirlwind engine with almost double the power.

Florence Klingensmith flew NR718Y in the 1933 Chicago International races, finishing second in the Women’s Free-For-All. She died when fabric tore from the upper right wing while competing in the Phillips Trophy race.