Gee Bee Model Y Senior Sportster - Oak Mound, MN - Exact Replicas on Waymarking.com

This replica is a monument erected in June, 2015 in memory of Florence Edith (Gunderson) Klingensmith – “Tree Tops” A native of Oak Mound, Minnesota. Florence was a charter member of the Ninety-Nines and at the time of her death held several World Records.

In 1933 Florence entered the $10,000 Frank Phillips Trophy Race at the Nationals in Chicago. She was the first woman to fly the 100 mile, 12 lap race around pylons. The race was open to planes with no limits on engine size. The best pilots in America competed.

Florence flew a bright red Gee Bee Sportster owned by Arthur Knapp of Jackson, Mich. The fabric covered craft’s original 220 horse power engine was replaced with a souped up 670 hp motor. The overpowered engine added an element of danger, but Florence was confident. The Chicago Daily News quoted her as saying just before the race, "I don’t know that I will win, but I do know I will place. The plane is fast enough and I can fly it."

The stresses of the race were apparently too much for the overpowered light craft. While in fourth place the plane experience structural failure and crashed in a field a few miles from the race grand stand.
Information from Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (visit link)

Where is original located?: Destroyed in crash Where is this replica located?: Oak Mound Cemetery Who created the original?: Granville Aircraft Corp Internet Link about Original: http://www.aerofiles.com/_geebee.html Year Original was Created (approx. ok): 1931

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