Starr Bumble Bee II

{{Infobox aircraft

|name = Bumble Bee II

|image = Guiness.jpg

|caption = Guinness certificate
Starr Bumble Bee I on display at Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona

|type = Record Breaker

|manufacturer = Homebuilt

|designer = Robert H. Starr

|first_flight = April 2, 1988

|introduction =

|retired =

|produced =

|number_built = 1

|status = On display

|primary_user = Robert H. Starr

|more_users =

|developed_from = Starr Bumble Bee I

}}

The Starr Bumble Bee II is an experimental aircraft designed and built specifically to acquire the title of "The World’s Smallest Airplane".

Design and development

The Bumble Bee II was designed and built by Robert H. Starr in Phoenix, Arizona with the intent of breaking the record for the world's smallest biplane. {{Cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/smallest-aircraft#:~:text=The%20smallest%20aircraft%20to%20fly,in%20(1.2%20m)%20high|title=Smallest Aircraft|website=Guinness World Records|language=en-US|access-date=2021-05-31}} Before building the Bumble Bee II, Starr had been deeply involved with the development of previous aircraft holding the title of "world's smallest airplane". His own plane, the Bumble Bee I, had lost the record to an aircraft called the Stits DS-1 Baby Bird, until the Bumble Bee II flew and regained the Guinness record. The design of the Bumble Bee II was similar to Starr's original Bumble Bee I. Both aircraft were biplanes with negative staggered, cantilevered wings and conventional landing gear.{{Cite web |title=Starr Bumble Bee - Pima Air and Space Museum - Tucson, Arizona |url=https://pimaair.org/visit/museum-aircraft/starr/ |access-date=2021-05-31 |website=Pima Air and Space Museum |language=en-US}} However, the Bumble Bee II was smaller and lighter{{Cite web |date=19 April 2013 |title=Flight of the Bumble Bee Airplane |url=https://disciplesofflight.com/flight-of-the-bumblebee/ |access-date=2021-05-31 |website=Disciples of Flight |language=en-US}} with a fuselage constructed of welded steel tubing covered by sheet metal, and wings covered in aircraft plywood.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFeAGgcE2g4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/oFeAGgcE2g4 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Building the Bumble Bee|website=Youtube|language=en-US|access-date=2021-05-31}}{{cbignore}} The power plant was a Continental C85 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed cylinder engine (Boxer Motor) that produced {{Convert|85|hp}}. The upper wings had flaps while the lower wings had ailerons. All wing air-frame structures were equipped with tip plates to enhance the lift coefficient. The airplane had a small cockpit with the rudder pedals located under the engine compartment toward the front of the cowling.

Operational history

The Bumble Bee II was flown on April 2, 1988, at Marana Airport{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKdR68KswSQ|title=Bumble Bee II, The Guinness Book Records Holder|website=Youtube|language=en-US|access-date=2021-05-31}} just outside of Tucson, Arizona to achieve the world record for the smallest piloted airplane. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Bumble Bee II crashed and was destroyed during its 3rd flight on May 5, 1988. At 400 feet of altitude,{{Cite web|url=https://www.aviationtrivia.org/starr-bumble-bee-ii|title=Starr Bumble Bee II|website=Aviation Trivia|language=en-US|access-date=2021-05-31}} the engine failed on a down-wind leg.{{Cite web|url=https://gouldaero.com/2020/11/12/starr-bumble-bee-ii/|title=Starr Bumble Bee II – Aircraft of the month|website=Gould Aero|date=13 November 2020 |language=en-US|access-date=2021-05-31}} The crash destroyed the Bumble Bee II and severely injured Robert Starr, who made a full recovery.

Aircraft on public display

File:Bumblebeeatpima (cropped).jpg

The Bumble Bee I is on public display at the Pima Air & Space Museum.

Naming

Starr named the aircraft in reference to an urban legend which states that according to standard aerodynamics, bumble bees do not have enough wing area to fly. Engineers and pilots had made a similar statement about Starr's Bumble Bee I and II, yet both flew.