Republic RC-3 Seabee
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The Republic RC-3 Seabee is an all-metal
amphibious sports aircraft
designed by Percival Spencer and manufactured by the Republic Aircraft Corporation.
in April 1911. At the time he was 17 years old and constructed it from plans he found in a "Popular Mechanics
" magazine. On May 15, 1914, Spencer made his first powered flight in a Curtiss
flying boat. In 1937 he joined Sikorsky
engineer Vincent A. Larsen to design their first, and only, amphibious aircraft, the Spencer-Larsen SL-12C. Development of the plane progressed slowly and in September 1940 Spencer left the partnership to form his own company. His resulting design was the Spencer S-12 Air Car Amphibian. Construction of the S-12 began on 1 March 1941 and the small, two seat S-12 prototype, registered NX29098, made its first flight on August 8, 1941. The S-12 was a fabric covered amphibian with a unique boxlike forward cabin, a high wing with a two bladed propeller
in pusher
configuration and a long, slender tail boom.
In December 1941 Spencer put the Air Car into storage and joined the war effort
as a test pilot for the Republic Aircraft Corporation. By 1943 he had flight tested 134 of the company's P-47 Thunderbolt
s.
In April 1943 Spencer left Republic Aircraft to join the Mills Novelty Company
of Chicago, Illinois who wanted to use his Air Car to promote their company. Spencer used the company's wood forming equipment to build a new egg-shaped cabin for the Air Car and began demonstrating the aircraft to his former employers, Republic Aircraft. Seeing the potential of the Air Car as the perfect sports plane for pilots returning from the war, Republic purchased the rights to the Air Car in December 1943 and immediately began development of an all-metal version designated the Model RC-1 Thunderbolt Amphibian. On November 30, 1944 the first RC-1 Thunderbolt Amphibian, registered NX41816, made its first flight with Spencer at the controls.
The aircraft was displayed in St Louis, Missouri in December and by the end of 1944 Republic had received 1,972 civilian orders for the $3,500 airplane. The aircraft was also demonstrated to the U.S. Navy
and Army Air Corps
. Both services were impressed with the design and on February 19, 1945 the Navy granted Republic Aviation the rights to use the name Seabee for the civilian version. The Army placed a large order for the aircraft, to be used for air-sea rescue operations under the designation OA-15. In September 1945, following VJ Day, both the Army and Navy canceled their orders, which by that time totaled over $20,000,000. The OA-15 Seabee was the last United States Army Air Corps aircraft to use the OA designation, which was dropped when the US Air Force was formed as a separate military branch in 1947.
Military operators included the Israeli Air Force, Paraguayan Navy, the United States Army Air Forces, and South Vietnamese Air Force.
On November 22, 1945 the prototype RC-3 (NX87451) came off the assembly line at Republic's factory in Farmingdale, New York, and on December 1 made its first flight in Farmingdale with Spencer at the controls.
On December 27, 1945 Republic Aviation purchased Aircooled Motors, manufacturers of the Franklin
engine, to supply and build engines for the RC-3 Seabee.
In March, 1946 the first production RC-3 Seabee was completed (NC87457, formerly NX87457), and on July 25, 1946 the first Seabee (NC87463, production #13) was delivered at the Republic factory to J.G. (Tex) Rankin of Rankin Aviation Industries of Tulare, California
.
In the late 1940s aircraft manufacturers hoped that military pilots returning from the war would want to continue flying civilian aircraft for pleasure and sport. This never occurred to the extent the companies imagined, as most wartime pilots returned home never to fly again. As a result many small and optimistic aircraft companies appeared, then quickly disappeared in the immediate postwar years.
On October 4, 1947 Republic Aviation Corp. announced that it was discontinuing production of the RC-3 Seabee amphibian for the personal plane market. Republic President Mundy I. Peale stated: "Due to the need of all Republic's production facilities for the manufacture of other types of airplanes, the company has decided to discontinue production of the Seabee". Actually, by summer 1947 the Seabee sales had almost stalled and since June 1947 the production had been put on hold, awaiting further sales. By the end of production a respectable 1,060 Seabees had been built. Though this was far from the 5,000 Seabees per year Republic had hoped to sell, it still represented a significant number of airplanes compared to other struggling aircraft companies of the same era. Only Piper, with their cheap, long-lived Cub and Super Cub, Beech's popular Bonanza, and Cessna's early 140
and 150
light planes would sell in numbers greater than the Seabee. This was due in no small part to the very low price of the Seabee. During production, however, the price of the Seabee would rise from its original $3,500 to $4,495 effective July 15, 1946, and to $6,000 on November 15, 1946, which was still a remarkable bargain for a four-seat all-metal amphibian aircraft. Republic sold its last new Seabee in 1948. By that time the demand for civilian aircraft had shown itself to be far less than anticipated, and the company turned its attention back to military contracts, developing the successful F-84 Thunderjet
, which was built on the same assembly lines formerly used to build the Seabee.
In the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s, the Seabee became one of the most popular bush planes and air ambulances in countries like Canada, Norway, Sweden as well as the USA. Many life-saving missions were flown by Seabee pilots rescuing seriously ill people from remote locations, as well as Seabee pilots making "impossible" takeoffs and landings from small lakes to deliver supplies to hunters and trappers.
In 2006, over 250 Seabees are still registered and flying, a number that is increasing yearly as new aircraft are assembled from parts and wrecks. A few Seabees are still operating commercially as bush planes and air taxis. In the history of aviation few aircraft have had longer, or more successful, careers than the Seabee.
with the fitting of two wing-mounted engines driving tractor propellers. The added thrust greatly enhanced the plane's speed, acceleration and capacity.
Modifications to increase the engine size, wingspan, cargo carrying capacity, controls, trim activation, environmental systems, landing light and many others have been available since the early 1970s.
Military operators included the Israeli Air Force,[1] Paraguayan Navy,[2] the United States Army Air Forces, and South Vietnamese Air Force.[3]
: Israeli Air Force
- One aircraft only.
Paraguay: Paraguayan Navy
South Vietnam: Vietnam Air Force
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
amphibious sports aircraft
Amphibious aircraft
An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an aircraft that can take off and land on either land or water. Fixed-wing amphibious aircraft are seaplanes that are equipped with retractable wheels, at the expense of extra weight and complexity, plus diminished range and fuel economy compared to planes...
designed by Percival Spencer and manufactured by the Republic Aircraft Corporation.
Design and development
The RC-3 Seabee was designed by Percival Hopkins "Spence" Spencer, an aviation pioneer who built his first hang gliderHang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
in April 1911. At the time he was 17 years old and constructed it from plans he found in a "Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics is an American magazine first published January 11, 1902 by H. H. Windsor, and has been owned since 1958 by the Hearst Corporation...
" magazine. On May 15, 1914, Spencer made his first powered flight in a Curtiss
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was an American aircraft manufacturer that went public in 1916 with Glenn Hammond Curtiss as president. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the company was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States...
flying boat. In 1937 he joined Sikorsky
Sikorsky Aircraft
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
engineer Vincent A. Larsen to design their first, and only, amphibious aircraft, the Spencer-Larsen SL-12C. Development of the plane progressed slowly and in September 1940 Spencer left the partnership to form his own company. His resulting design was the Spencer S-12 Air Car Amphibian. Construction of the S-12 began on 1 March 1941 and the small, two seat S-12 prototype, registered NX29098, made its first flight on August 8, 1941. The S-12 was a fabric covered amphibian with a unique boxlike forward cabin, a high wing with a two bladed propeller
Propeller (aircraft)
Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
in pusher
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
configuration and a long, slender tail boom.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a test pilot for the Republic Aircraft Corporation. By 1943 he had flight tested 134 of the company's P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s.
In April 1943 Spencer left Republic Aircraft to join the Mills Novelty Company
Mills Novelty Company
The Mills Novelty Company, Incorporated of Chicago, Illinois was once a leading manufacturer of coin operated machines, including slot machines, vending machines, and jukeboxes, in the United States...
of Chicago, Illinois who wanted to use his Air Car to promote their company. Spencer used the company's wood forming equipment to build a new egg-shaped cabin for the Air Car and began demonstrating the aircraft to his former employers, Republic Aircraft. Seeing the potential of the Air Car as the perfect sports plane for pilots returning from the war, Republic purchased the rights to the Air Car in December 1943 and immediately began development of an all-metal version designated the Model RC-1 Thunderbolt Amphibian. On November 30, 1944 the first RC-1 Thunderbolt Amphibian, registered NX41816, made its first flight with Spencer at the controls.
The aircraft was displayed in St Louis, Missouri in December and by the end of 1944 Republic had received 1,972 civilian orders for the $3,500 airplane. The aircraft was also demonstrated to the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
. Both services were impressed with the design and on February 19, 1945 the Navy granted Republic Aviation the rights to use the name Seabee for the civilian version. The Army placed a large order for the aircraft, to be used for air-sea rescue operations under the designation OA-15. In September 1945, following VJ Day, both the Army and Navy canceled their orders, which by that time totaled over $20,000,000. The OA-15 Seabee was the last United States Army Air Corps aircraft to use the OA designation, which was dropped when the US Air Force was formed as a separate military branch in 1947.
Military operators included the Israeli Air Force, Paraguayan Navy, the United States Army Air Forces, and South Vietnamese Air Force.
Production
In order to meet the anticipated postwar demand for civilian light aircraft, Republic endeavored to build the Seabee as inexpensively possible, while still retaining reasonable performance and range. A lot of thought went into eliminating what were at the time termed as 'airplane frills,' resulting in a strong product built with as few parts as possible. For example, Seabees as built did not have ribs in the wings; instead, the heavy corrugated aluminum sheet which formed the skin provided the necessary stiffness. Republic was also willing to buy components in volume, which lowered costs further.On November 22, 1945 the prototype RC-3 (NX87451) came off the assembly line at Republic's factory in Farmingdale, New York, and on December 1 made its first flight in Farmingdale with Spencer at the controls.
On December 27, 1945 Republic Aviation purchased Aircooled Motors, manufacturers of the Franklin
Franklin Engine Company
The Franklin Engine Company was a manufacturer of aircraft engines, formed as the H. H. Franklin Co. in 1902, located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Barely surviving bankruptcy in 1933, the company was purchased by a group of ex-employees and renamed Aircooled Motors in 1937...
engine, to supply and build engines for the RC-3 Seabee.
In March, 1946 the first production RC-3 Seabee was completed (NC87457, formerly NX87457), and on July 25, 1946 the first Seabee (NC87463, production #13) was delivered at the Republic factory to J.G. (Tex) Rankin of Rankin Aviation Industries of Tulare, California
Tulare, California
Tulare is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 59,278 at the 2010 census.Just eight miles south of Visalia, it is part of the Census Bureau's designation of the Visalia Metropolitan Area. The city is named for the currently dry Tulare Lake, once the largest...
.
In the late 1940s aircraft manufacturers hoped that military pilots returning from the war would want to continue flying civilian aircraft for pleasure and sport. This never occurred to the extent the companies imagined, as most wartime pilots returned home never to fly again. As a result many small and optimistic aircraft companies appeared, then quickly disappeared in the immediate postwar years.
On October 4, 1947 Republic Aviation Corp. announced that it was discontinuing production of the RC-3 Seabee amphibian for the personal plane market. Republic President Mundy I. Peale stated: "Due to the need of all Republic's production facilities for the manufacture of other types of airplanes, the company has decided to discontinue production of the Seabee". Actually, by summer 1947 the Seabee sales had almost stalled and since June 1947 the production had been put on hold, awaiting further sales. By the end of production a respectable 1,060 Seabees had been built. Though this was far from the 5,000 Seabees per year Republic had hoped to sell, it still represented a significant number of airplanes compared to other struggling aircraft companies of the same era. Only Piper, with their cheap, long-lived Cub and Super Cub, Beech's popular Bonanza, and Cessna's early 140
Cessna 140
- See also :...
and 150
Cessna 150
The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane, that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use.The Cessna 150 is the seventh most produced civilian plane ever, with 23,839 aircraft produced...
light planes would sell in numbers greater than the Seabee. This was due in no small part to the very low price of the Seabee. During production, however, the price of the Seabee would rise from its original $3,500 to $4,495 effective July 15, 1946, and to $6,000 on November 15, 1946, which was still a remarkable bargain for a four-seat all-metal amphibian aircraft. Republic sold its last new Seabee in 1948. By that time the demand for civilian aircraft had shown itself to be far less than anticipated, and the company turned its attention back to military contracts, developing the successful F-84 Thunderjet
F-84 Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
, which was built on the same assembly lines formerly used to build the Seabee.
Operational history
Seabees became popular in the USA and Canada and were also well-suited for operation in countries with long coastlines, many islands, many lakes and large areas of wilderness. By the time production ended, 108 Seabees had been exported to several countries and dealerships were established in Brazil, Cuba, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Fiji, New Caledona, South Africa, England, Norway and Sweden.In the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s, the Seabee became one of the most popular bush planes and air ambulances in countries like Canada, Norway, Sweden as well as the USA. Many life-saving missions were flown by Seabee pilots rescuing seriously ill people from remote locations, as well as Seabee pilots making "impossible" takeoffs and landings from small lakes to deliver supplies to hunters and trappers.
In 2006, over 250 Seabees are still registered and flying, a number that is increasing yearly as new aircraft are assembled from parts and wrecks. A few Seabees are still operating commercially as bush planes and air taxis. In the history of aviation few aircraft have had longer, or more successful, careers than the Seabee.
Modifications
23 Seabees were converted to a two-engine variant known as the United Consultants Twin BeeUnited Consultants Twin Bee
-External links:* *...
with the fitting of two wing-mounted engines driving tractor propellers. The added thrust greatly enhanced the plane's speed, acceleration and capacity.
Modifications to increase the engine size, wingspan, cargo carrying capacity, controls, trim activation, environmental systems, landing light and many others have been available since the early 1970s.
Civil
The Seabee is popular with air charter companies and small feeder airlines, and is operated by private individuals and companies.Military
The aircraft was also demonstrated to the U.S. Navy and Army Air Corps. Both services were impressed with the design and on February 19, 1945 the Navy granted Republic Aviation the rights to use the name Seabee for the civilian version. The Army placed an order for 12 aircraft, to be used for air-sea rescue operations under the designation OA-15. In September 1945, following VJ Day, both the Army and Navy canceled their orders, which by that time totaled over $20,000,000.Military operators included the Israeli Air Force,[1] Paraguayan Navy,[2] the United States Army Air Forces, and South Vietnamese Air Force.[3]
: Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
- One aircraft only.
Paraguay: Paraguayan Navy South Vietnam: Vietnam Air ForceVietnam Air Force
The Vietnam Air Force began with a few hand-picked men chosen to fly alongside French pilots during the State of Vietnam era. It eventually grew into the world’s sixth largest air force at the height of its power, in 1974...