Design and development Republic RC-3 Seabee

republic rc-3 seabee



republic rc-3 seabee instrument panel , cockpit



republic rc-3 seabee gear retracted

in december 1941 spencer put air car storage , joined war effort test pilot republic aircraft corporation. 1943, had flight tested 134 of company s p-47 thunderbolts.

in april 1943 spencer left republic aircraft join mills novelty company of chicago, illinois wanted use air car promote company. spencer used company s wood forming equipment build new egg-shaped cabin air car , began demonstrating aircraft former employers, republic aircraft. seeing potential of air car perfect sports plane pilots returning war, republic purchased rights air car in december 1943 , began development of all-metal version designated model rc-1 thunderbolt amphibian. on november 30, 1944 first rc-1 thunderbolt amphibian, registered nx41816, made first flight spencer @ controls.

the aircraft displayed in st louis, missouri in december , end of 1944 republic had received 1,972 civilian orders $3,500 airplane. aircraft demonstrated u.s. navy , army air corps. both services impressed design , on february 19, 1945 navy granted republic aviation rights use name seabee civilian version. army placed large order aircraft, used air-sea rescue operations under designation oa-15. in september 1945, following vj day, both army , navy canceled orders, time totaled on $20,000,000. oa-15 seabee last united states army air corps aircraft use oa designation, dropped when air force formed separate military branch in 1947.

military operators included israeli air force, paraguayan navy, united states army air forces , republic of vietnam air force.

production

in order meet anticipated postwar demand civilian light aircraft, republic endeavored build seabee inexpensively possible, while still retaining reasonable performance , range. lot of thought went eliminating @ time termed airplane frills, resulting in strong product built few parts possible. example, seabees built did not have ribs in wings; instead, heavy corrugated aluminum sheet formed skin provided necessary stiffness. republic willing buy components in volume, lowered costs further.

on november 22, 1945, prototype rc-3 (nx87451) came off assembly line @ republic s factory in farmingdale, new york , on december 1 made first flight in farmingdale spencer @ controls.

on december 27, 1945, republic aviation purchased aircooled motors, manufacturers of franklin engine, supply , build engines rc-3 seabee.

in march, 1946, first production rc-3 seabee completed (nc87457, formerly nx87457, , on july 25, 1946 first seabee (nc87463, production #13) delivered @ republic factory j.g. (tex) rankin of rankin aviation industries of tulare, california.

in late 1940s, aircraft manufacturers hoped military pilots returning war want continue flying civilian aircraft pleasure , sport. never occurred extent companies imagined, wartime pilots returned home never fly again. result, many small , optimistic aircraft companies appeared, disappeared in immediate postwar years.

on october 4, 1947, republic aviation corp. announced discontinuing production of rc-3 seabee amphibian personal plane market. republic president mundy i. peale stated: due need of republic s production facilities manufacture of other types of airplanes, company has decided discontinue production of seabee . actually, summer (july/august) 1947 seabee sales had stalled , since june 1947 production had been put on hold, awaiting further sales. end of production respectable 1,060 seabees had been built. though far 5,000 seabees per year republic had hoped sell, still represented significant number of airplanes compared other struggling aircraft companies of same era. piper, cheap, long-lived cub , super cub, beech s popular bonanza, , cessna s 140 , 150 light planes sell in numbers greater seabee. due in no small part low price of seabee. during production, however, price of seabee rise original $3,500 $4,495 effective july 15, 1946 , $6,000 on november 15, 1946. republic sold last new seabee in 1948. time demand civilian aircraft had shown far less anticipated , company turned attention military contracts, developing successful f-84 thunderjet, built on same assembly lines formerly used build seabee.