I recently had the privilege and pleasure to work on the various decorations sported by the Gee Bee QED (or R-6H) during the course of its largely unsuccessful racing career. Here is a timeline of these decorations, showing their evolution :
1 – 1934, initial colours
2 – Flown by Lee Gehlbach during the Bendix Races, 1934.3 – As flown by Jacky Cochran & Wesley Smith during the MacRobertson Air Race, 1934.4 – As flown by Royal Leonard, Bendix Races, 1935.5 – As flown by Lee Miles, Thompson Trophy, 1936.6 – As flown by George Amistead, before the Bendix Races, 1938.7 – As flown by George Amistead before or during the Bendix Races, 1938. Pratt & Whitney and Barr logos added to the engine cowling.8 – As flown by George Amistead before or during the Bendix Races, 1938. The aircraft now has more sponsors mentioned on the cowling.9 – As flown by George Amistead before or during the Bendix Races, 1938. Kendall Oil logo added to engine cowling.10 – The aircraft is now named “Conquistador del Cielo” and has been purchased by Francisco Sarabia, 1939. It sports a large Kendall Oil ad on the fin.11 – Conquistador del Cielo as seen during Francisco Sarabia’s 1939 Mexico to New-York record flight.12 – Gee Bee QED in its final scheme as Conquistador del Cielo in 1939 when it crashed in the Potomac river, killing pilot and owner Francisco Sarabia.
After Sarabia’s fatal crash, the aircraft was recovered and eventually restored. It is now on display at the Museo Francisco Sarabia in Ciudad Lerdo, but the restoration and markings are not very accurate to say the least.
