Engineering:GeeBee C-8 Eightster

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GeeBee C-8 "Eightster"
Role
National origin United States
Manufacturer Granville Brothers Aircraft
Status Prototype only
Number built 1 (not completed)
Developed from Gee Bee C Sportster

The C-8 Eightster was a single-engine airliner developed by Granville Brothers Aircraft that did not go into production.[1]

Design and development

The C-8 was an uncompleted design for a single-engine airliner, a wire-braced low-wing monoplane with conventional landing gear and a radial engine. Entry was from a small left rear door in the fuselage. Passenger visibility came from three semi-circular windows along each side. The main landing gear was faired similar to the Gee-Bee racers.

The Granville brothers also designed a series of sportster derivatives, including the C-4 Fourster and C-6 Sixster. The C-8 was the only one to be constructed, being partially completed by the time the company went into liquidation.

Variants

Gee Bee C Sportster
Single-seat sport / racing aircraft; basis for the C family.[2]
C-4 Fourster
Four-seater powered by a 400 hp (300 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior, not built.[2]
C-6 Sixster
Six-seater, not built.[2]
C-8 Eightster
Eight-seater, to have been powered by either a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet or a 700 hp (520 kW) Wright R-1820. The prototype was partially complete at the time of Granville Brothers bankruptcy.[2]

Specifications (C-8)

Data from [2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: eight
  • Length: 32 ft 11 in (10.03 m)
  • Wingspan: 47 ft 9 in (14.55 m)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet 9-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engine, 700 hp (520 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed variable pitch metal propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h, 222 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 190 mph (310 km/h, 170 kn)
  • Range: 870 mi (1,400 km, 760 nmi)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. Avrum Zier (22 July 1936). "Flying Aces Model Laboratory". Flying Aces. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Eckland, K.O.. "Gee Bee, Granville". http://aerofiles.com/_geebee.html. Retrieved 15 April 2014.