A Deep Dive Into The "RC" (Republic Commercial) Aircraft Series

  

*Blueprint photo credits at end of page

Republic Aviation:

A Deep Dive Into The "RC" (Republic Commercial) Series

By Chase Reimer

April 14, 2023

    According to most articles and websites, the Republic Aviation Corporation, renowned for its iconic aircraft such as the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, the Republic RC-3 Seabee, and the Fairchild Republic A-10, is listed for only having designed around 20 different aircraft types; However, this statistic is far from accurate. While numerous unrecognized aircraft designed by Republic could be listed, I will be looking specifically at a lesser-known market that this company attempted to enter, the commercial aviation market:

    Somewhere around 1944, the Republic Aviation Corporation in Long Island, New York, decided it was time to use its success in the military aircraft market to begin designing commercial aircraft. This consequently lead to the birth of the Republic Commercial (RC) line of aircraft, which consisted of 4 aircraft; Out of these four aircraft, only one, the RC3 Seabee, was ever mass-produced and brought to the market and is the only aircraft of the series to be well recognized. The other three aircraft in the series, include the RC1 Thunderbolt, the RC2 Rainbow, and the RC4 (Unnamed) Airliner. Let's now take a deeper look into each of the four aircraft in the Republic Commercial series of aircraft:

RC1 Thunderbolt

Photo credit - Cradle Of Aviation Museum

The RC1 Thunderbolt Amphibian was the original prototype of the Republic RC3 Seabee and was later named the Republic RC-1 Seabee. The RC-1 was designed as a personal amphibious aircraft, which contained 3 seats and a 175hp Franklin 6ALG-315 six-cylinder engine, which allowed for a maximum cruise speed of roughly 108 knots. The prototype had a length of only 8 meters and a wing span of 11 meters, making it very slightly smaller than the final RC-3 model.

Republic RC-2 Rainbow

Photo Credit - Goleta Air And Space Museum

The Republic RC-2 Rainbow was an airliner version of the famed XF-12 Rainbow reconnaissance aircraft. The main design stayed the roughly same; however, the engines were replaced by P&W R-4360-59s and the fuselage was lengthened. This aircraft included a luxurious interior and was designed for upwards of 46 passengers and the capability of cruising at 40000ft. It is currently unknown and debated as to if any were ever built. 

Republic RC-3 Seabee

Photo Credit - The Seabee Project

The Republic Commercial series' most famous plane is the RC-3 Seabee. It's a single-engine, amphibious aircraft that was designed as an affordable option for private pilots and returning war veterans, earning it the nickname "the family plane." The original RC-3 Seabee had four seats and a 215hp Franklin 68A-215-B8F six-cylinder engine, which enabled it to reach a maximum cruise speed of about 100 knots. Even today, many Seabees are still in use, flown, and maintained throughout the world!

Republic RC-4 Airliner

Photo Credit - Cradle Of Aviation Museum

Republic had proposed a commercial aircraft called the RC-4, which could accommodate up to 14 passengers with a gross weight of 16,610 lbs. The RC-4 was intended to be equipped with two 800 ESHP PT-6A engines. It is unclear whether any prototypes of the RC-4 were ever constructed.

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“Republic XF-12 Rainbow.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_XF-12_Rainbow. Accessed 29 May 2023.

Saevdal, Steinar. Steinar's Hangar - Republic Seabee, http://seabee.info/. Accessed 29 May 2023.

“Republic RC-4 airliner.” Secret Projects Forum, 9 August 2008, https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/republic-rc-4-airliner.5022/. Accessed 29 May 2023.