Gee Bee R-2 and Model Z to be the next Famous Flyers for MSFS

The Microsoft Flight Simulator team has released a few airplanes under the Local Legends and Famous Flyers series, featuring well-known airplanes from across the world. The last Famous Flyer was the Beechcraft Staggerwing, developed in partnership with Carenado, who is now returning to create the next airplane(s) in this series: the Gee Bee R2 and the Model Z.

That’s right, there will actually be two airplanes coming as part of the second Famous Flyers release. The announcement was made by Jorg Neumann himself during the latest Developer Q&A, which you can watch here.

The Gee Bee Model Z was the first of the Super Sportster airplanes developed by the Granville Brothers, with the sole aim to win the Thompson Trophy. It did win, but ended up suffering a fatal crash shortly after.

After the tragic demise of the Model Z, the Granville Brothers were quick to design a successor. The Model R was born with two models: the R-1 and the R-2, the latter of which is now coming to MSFS by the hands of Carenado.

These are some fast little planes, basically a massive radial engine with wings. The chubby design is rather unique and even comical, we could say. It’s a great departure from the very elegant Staggerwing, but they should be some thrilling machines, very fast and aerobatic, ready to perform some impressive stunts.

Interestingly, these planes are predecessors to another Gee Bee that is already available for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Got Friends released the R3 Special last year, a brilliant and very fun racer that can be thrown around in the air with colored smoke effects.

The Gee Bee R-2 and Z are coming in late April, together with Sim Update 9, which is currently estimated to be released on April 26.