Gee Bee Zeta in Springfield Mass.

 Here's a more recent photo of it I found online

Paul,

  Thank you, that's a great photo!  Looks like one of it when they were moving into the new addition to the museum.

I knew I could rely on fellow EAAers!  Anyone else out there have any more?  Brad

Hi, Paul

I started to post here last night but got to babbling so bad that I thought I'd try again today.  My name is Keith Lambert.  My grandfather, Romaine, donated Zeta to the Springfield Science Museum back in 1978.  I don't have any original pictures of Zeta. I do have a plan and side drawing printed on the program for the reception opening the exhibit.  Also, the church program for his funeral (he passed in 2003 at 92 with too many projects) has a picture of Grandpa in front of a partly dismantled Zeta.  He's posing holding the (I think) oil cooler.  Grandpa looks pretty young in the pic, and the car behind makes me think that the photo was not taken during the move to the museum but at a much earlier date.

I'm babbling again.

Someone in my family must have some pictures, or there could be some in the archives? of the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  I'll have to see if my father has any of the pictures.

I'd love to know any info on Zeta as the scant info available is incomplete or contradictory (even in Grandpa's obituary).  I don't even know how much of what Grandpa talked about was accurate.  He was in and around Boston and Boston Airport while attending Northeastern University.  Graduating in 1932 puts him there during the heyday of the Gee Bees.  It certainly sounded as if he personally knew Mark Granville, at least.  

Still babbling

Anything you would be willing to share about Zeta would be very much appreciated.  I'll have to call Dad and see about any pictures.  I always thought that Zeta was an absolutely gorgeous aircraft and was so proud to point it out during school field trips to the Science Museum.

I hope to hear from you.                   Keith

Keith,

Thanks for your response!

 The photo below is the photo that started the long love affair I have had with the Zeta. -  RC Modeller magazine. July 1993

  I have been collecting information on this airplane for several years and with advent of this forum, I thought it would be the perfect venue to look for further information.  I was extremely excited to see your posting  and your relationship with the man who was reponsible for the loving care that the Zeta had recieved for so many years.

 Henry Haffke is the person, who is by far, the most knowledgeable when it come to anything "Gee Bee" and he is the man who built the model in the photo and provided me with  most of the information that I have. If anyone else has any info on this aircraft, I would be more than gracious to recieve it.

  The story of this aircraft's survival is one that is rarely repeated, and one that your family should be most proud of!

  I would love to help you out in any way possible concerning details and will be going through my materials to see what I could pass along.

  Looking forward to hearing from you.              Brad

The Sport Aviation online archive (in the Members Only section) contains a wealth of information.  I found a couple of photos in the January 1979 issue, from the donation of the Zeta to the Museum.

Thanks Adam,

  I have thoroughly enjoyed way too many hours browsing the archives section of Oshkosh 365! It has been so wonderful to "catch up" on all those years of EAA before I became involved. I  have the utmost respect for the" Pioneers"" who led the way in sport aviation. 

Keep up the great work Adam.     Brad

Evenin' Brad

Just got off the phone with Dad.  Covered a lot of ground.  I told him I'd have to call again when I could take notes.  Dad thinks he has one photo of when Zeta was assembled for a parade in Westfield, MA.  Dad thinks this was for Westfield's tricentennial.  I have no memory of Zeta coming out of the barn until being moved to the Museum, but as the Tri was in 1969, it is possible that the plane was assembled for a parade then put back into storage.  I was only a year old in '69.

Apparently, Grandpa did know Mark Granville, who lived in Southampton, MA around WWII.  Grandpa moved there in 1947?  LIke I said, I need to take notes and make a timeline. 

More later.   Keith

Keith,

  I really appreciate your willingness to do some research about your grandpa. It is such a stroke of good luck that you found this thread on 365.  I have always loved the story/history of this plane how it was given to your grandfather as payment for unpaid rent, and then so lovingly cared for all those years before being donated to the Springfield Museum. It doesn't get any better than that!

I am sure that there were other one-off, unique  aircraft built "back in the day" that were not as fortunate as the Zeta to survive 70 plus years.

I am asuming that you must have an affection for aviation yourself to have found this amazing community of aviation enthusiasts.

I can tell by your avitar photo that you must like old BMW motorcycles. Would that happen to be a "Toaster Tank" in Cafe dressing?

Have you ever seen Josh Withers R60 Cafe bike?  He's a photographer from the LA area. I've attach a photo of it. Hope you enjoy.

   Have a Happy Thanksgiving,  Brad

Brad,

I listened to Grandpa's stories for so many years (but never enough) that I should know him better.  Turns out that many of the "facts" in my head are a bit twisted.

Originally, my main focus in finding this thread was to just see some more pictures of Zeta.  Problem is that once you start researching a man's life, things get complicated.  Stories are seldom simply linear, at least in the telling.  A quick question to my Dad about pictures turned into an hour-long trip to his childhood.  He talked about things that I had never heard about before.  Nothing earth shattering, just life as a 10 year-old with Romie for a Dad.

I've always had a love of machines.  It was inevitable with Dad and Grandpa in my life.  You know that barn that someone always talks about? The barn with the rare, old whatever that they always dreamed of finding?  That was Grandpa's barn.  It was literally packed (in some places to the rafters) with cool stuff.  Some of it was really junk, but it was cool junk.  Much of the contents was definitely not junk.  In my mental snapshot of many hours spent in that barn holds: Zeta, a Stearman, a Taylorcraft, a Luscombe, parts of a powered glider, the Porsche, BMW and Norton motorcycles, tools, parts, guns, machines of all kinds...Grandpa just understood and appreciated machines.

I plan to track down those images of Zeta that I know must exist somewhere, or at least give you an idea of where to look.  History will help there, and I'll get what I can from Dad.

I have seen pics of that blue Beemer before.  Mine was a cafe, but not a toaster.  It was a 1939 R51 that I pulled from Grandpa's barn a couple years before he died.  I'll try to attach a picture of it.  I've sold it on to a guy in California (back in stock form).

Keith,

  Great word picture of "that" barn!  I could almost smell the dust, dirt and oil. 

  I think the neatest thing you mentioned, was the fact  that you brought alive memories inside your father that stirred him to share with you. You, along with myself, are lucky enough to still have our fathers around to be able to share moments like those. We should cherrish the  conversations such as the one you had with your dad. It's times like those, that keep family history alive.

 I have several photos of the Zeta that I could scan for you. But would rather send them to a private e-mail if possible. We'll have to make arrangements...  Thanks again for the efforts in my quest for more info on the Zeta.

 I hope that you have a Happy Thanksgiving.     Brad

Hey, Brad

Seeing those photos would be great.  This way I'll also know which ones you already have so I don't keep searching for those.

The Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton (413-584-5000) ran a story on August 30, 1978.  It reportedly had an uncredited picture of Grandpa pointing toward Zeta's tail.  The person I spoke to said it was dated 1948.  The image on Grandpa's funeral program (odd thing to call it) is most likely from the same roll.  Grandpa is holding an oil cooler, but not Zeta's.  Dad said that Grandpa wanted to install a cooler.  Of course, he never did.  Dad was 10 and remembers that day and the Studebaker behind Zeta in the picture.

Dad remembers some of the pictures that he has seen of Zeta, including one in flight.  With scans of yours, I can try to figure out which pictures remain.

It seems I'll have to post some kind of contact info for you.  I have RoadRunner so full-size images should be fine on my end.  I think I can scan and send the images I have (with help from my wife).

guzzihack@nc.rr.com

Keith

 http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/the_museums/springfield_history/exhibits/view/165-granville_brothers_aircraft

a link to the museum

VJ Thompson

Victor,

   Thanks for the input. I have contacted the museum several weeks ago, via e-mail, but  have not heard back from anyone yet.

   The Zeta was recently moved into a new building and I have seen one good photo of it on the ground floor with its' wings off. I am hoping that the person who took this photo,  or someone else involved in its move, may have more pictures of it taken at this same time.

   I will be contacting the museum again in hope of finding out who the people were responsible for moving the Zeta to its' present location.

  Once again, I ask if anyone lives or knows someone who lives near the museum, who would be willing to photgraph the Zeta for me, I would like to talk to them about my pursuit.

      Thanks to all who have helped so far.    Brad

EAA members,

  I am still looking for anyone who happens to have any photographs or information on the Gee Bee Zeta that is currently on display at the Springfield Science Museum in Springfield Mass.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

              Thanks,  Brad

Zeta update.

 I had a great conversation a few nights ago with a gentleman named Howard Redpath , who was responsible for reassembling the Zeta for the ctiy of Springfields 100th Anniversary back in the late 70's. The aircraft was removed from Rommie Lambert's barn and reassembled at the National Guard base at the Westfield airport. It was placed on a float for the parade, then displayed in the cities Quadrangle for 24 hrs. under quard. It was again disassembled, wrapped in paper and placed back in Rommies barn until it was donated to the Springfield Museum of Science, where it on display as of this writing. It still wears its original fabric and paint ,which are in incredible condition!

 Mr. Redpath is 90 years old and as energetic as a 20 year old! His ability to remember dates and names were amazing. He let me know that he found this forum while he was visiting in Arizona. It really made my day that I was able to speak with someone who had personally known the Granville brothers and Pete Miller (designer of the Zeta).

 Thank you EAA, for if it was not for Oshkosh 365, I may have never been able to meet people as interesting as Mr. Redpath or living relatives of someone who has cared for such a beautifull aircraft for so many years. I hope to hear back from both Keith Lambert and Howard Redpath when they find out any more info on the Zeta.

If anyone else has any more info about or photos of the Zeta. please let me know.

                          Thanks,  Brad Algra