Nicknamed “the flying silo,” the Gee Bee Model R was a special-purpose racing airplane built by Granville Brothrs Aircraft of Springfield, MA. Its nickname came from its short, fat fuselage resembling a farm storage silo. With a peculiar design, the Gee Bee’s fuselage was wider than the engine at its widest point. The cockpit was very far aft, just in front of the vertical stabilizer.