To dispell this apocryphal myth I recommend,
McMasters, J.H. 1989. The flight of the bumblebee and
related myths of entomological engineering. American Scientist
77:164-169.
To appreciate how bumble bees fly consult,
Dudley and Ellington. 1990. Journal of Experimental
Biology 148:19-52,53-88.
Apparently bumble bees are the mascot of Mary Kay cosmetics
based on this myth (the company wasn't supposed to fly either
- no logical physical explanation can be offered for its
success).
I hope this helps.
Lawrence Harder