ZEFRON BEE GIRL

Also known as Bee, or sparsely BeeGee, was a single-engine monoplane constructed by Bredon Gerhent and produced by Zefron Industries in Lepos during the years 1760-1765. Originally supposed as a civilian acrobatic aircraft, it was one of the very first "mass produced" aircrafts of the world. Although its acrobatic performance weren't great and the aircraft was somehow difficult to handle and relatively fragile, combination of good price, high speed for its time and adequate range made it favorable for many airmen. Despite that, it never reached the same level of popularity as other aircrafts of that time, like Aston Sprinter or Anora Bat.

True glory of the Bee started in 1763, during the first stage of trench-war of the Last War between Argos and Lepos. Because it was home-made (except for the engine, which was, however, very common and license-built) and presented in sufficient number, it became the aircraft of choice for the newly created sort of armed forces: Air Force.

During May and June of 1763, 25 Bees were modified as the very first combat aircrafts of the world. Walthen Arsenal developed simple system, based on metal bullet deflectors, that allowed machine-guns mounted on the top of the Bee's nose to fire forward in the direction of fly. Despite the deflectors worsened performance significantly, such modified aircrafts literally massacred Argosian air reconnaissance. Later during the June and July, Bees increased their activity by active engagement against desert nomads allied with Argos, Argosian desert patrol cavalry, and against Argosian artillery observation balloons. For several months, they ruled skies unchallenged.

Later in the year, when Argos finally managed to deploy its own fighter, they still were dangerous opponents because of their advanced firing system. During October, first Bees with synchronized weapons were deployed, pulling ahead Leposian advance over their adversaries. Although Argosian type Scimitar 4 was more nimble and faster, Bee was better armed and also flown mostly by better pilots.

Bees served in Leposian Air Force until early months of 1764, when they were replaced with much better plane, Zefron Wasp. Some of them were then sold to smaller countries wanted to equip their forces with the famous fighter. But their true value was very limited, should enemy has fighters of their own, and none of them survived year 1768 in active service anywhere.

During relatively short career of the type, around 330 military Bees were deployed, 210 of them armed with synchronized machine-gun. It's estimated that they shot down no less then two hundred Argosian aircrafts, both Scimitars 4 and - mostly - Hamkirs. Around 110 Bees were lost, most of them because of accidents. Definite end of Bee's usability as a combat aircraft was the deployment of Scimitar 5 and RAAF Chamsin fighters with synchronized weapons. In these times however, Bees were already nearly completely withdrew from service.

Despite not so great performance, Bee has his place in the history of aerial combat as the very first aircraft actually able to fight in the air, as the first fighter with concept that remained dominant in fighter construction until deployment of guided missiles.

Since 1800, only four Bees, all in very bad condition and none of them complete, were in existence over the world. Two were in Imperial Aeronautics Museum in Mosnatrnay, one in Argos and one in "Milestones of Air Power" display in Lepos. Several replicas over the world varied broadly because actually very little materials survived to enable good reconstructions.

In 1832, original blueprints were found in the legacy of Halk Derster, son-in-law of Bredon Gerhent. They were used by Leposian 1,000th Historical Combat Battalion for creating four accurate flyable replicas, even with precise replicas of Naoron engine and Kordelin machine-gun. Many other replicas were manufacture later.

Specifications:

General characteristics

Performance with synchonizer

Armament

Origin note

Bee is based on Fokker Eindecker, although specifications are quite different.