Flying Model Reviews

Maxford USA’s Gee Bee Y EP is an awesome ARF. The full-size Gee Bee is my favorite airplane, so I was overjoyed at the opportunity to build one. Having successfully worked with Maxford USA in the past, I was even more pleased that they offer this model not only in my favorite red and white, but in two other colors schemes, as well.

Maxford is a company that listens to its customers. The Version 2 Gee Bee (I also built Version 1) reviewed here has several modifications that make it easier to assemble and a more efficient flyer.

The biggest differences between the older and latest kits are in the battery and motor area. Version 2 eliminates any need for a box, as the motor can be attached directly to the firewall. It has built-in thrust offset so it will fly straight at every power setting. The new battery box is twice the size and can easily hold a 2100mAh 3-cell LiPo pack.



Installing all the control horns and the tailwheel is easy. The directions are very helpful. Installation of rudder and elevator servos requires a bit more time. The openings in the radio tray are a little longer than needed for the recommended servos. I used a few pieces of scrap balsa and thin CA to fill the gaps neatly.

I connected the servos to my Futaba R606FS FASST receiver, checked for direction and center, then eyeballed the output arms to attach them as close to neutral as possible. A sew sub-trim adjustments in my Futaba 6EXA perfected it. I set low rates at 50 percent and 50 exponential on high.

A Y harness in the fuselage connects my aileron servos to the receiver. I snaked the servo leads and recommended 10-inch servo extensions through the wing with the string that Maxford provides inside the wing panel.

As a relative newcomer to modeling, the elevator pushrod was a challenge for me. I damaged the wire that connects the pushrod to the elevator, but was able to fix it with a bit of CA and a short length of heat-shrink tubing. I think it’s stronger with this extra reinforcement, and I recommend the builders do the same.

The Gee Bee’s main landing gear and tailwheel feature shock absorbing spring action. This allows for more padding on landing and keeping the shock away from those beautiful fiberglass wheel pants. Be sure to install the pants far forward so the gear has enough room up front to move.

Final construction steps are cut and dry. The wing is attached with 4mm nylon screws at the trailing edge, and 3mm metal screws through the battery hatch. The wing struts are purely decorative, but visually worth the installation effort. Lastly, the cowl, windshield and propeller are attached. I can honestly say that once complete, this model is gorgeous.

Preparation for the flight goes quickly. My 2100mAh 3S LiPo battery rides up against the dummy radial engine in the cowl so the model balances at the recommended center of gravity. I put a small strip of hook & loop material on the front of the battery box, and used the factory-installed strap to secure the battery at the rear.

Low rates were used for my initial flights, and those settings proved to be very aerobatic. The Gee Bee’s takeoff was pretty exhilarating. Once it left the ground, it took a heart-stopping dip downward, but I quickly realized that it was just me getting used to the sensitivity of the controls. The quick addition of a few clicks of upward trim leveled the Gee Bee off quickly. Then, in true Golden Age air racing form, it tore into the sky.

The Gee Bee is stunning, and I definitely got even more excited about it after seeing it fly. It does everything you want for sport aerobatics—rolls, loops, inverted flight—and its more stable than expected at slow speed. I added 30 percent exponential to my low rate settings, and now I absolutely love it.

Assembling the Maxford Gee Bee Y was more intense than my previous projects, but it’s easy to complete if you take your time; the model is well worth it. I feel a big sense of accomplishment just looking at this gorgeous airplane as the newest member of my fleet.