The Republic RC-3 Seabee is an all-metal amphibious sports aircraft designed by Percival Spencer and manufactured by the Republic Aircraft Corporation .
51-547: The RC-3 Seabee was designed by Percival Hopkins "Spence" Spencer . An aviation pioneer who first soloed in a powered airplane in 1914, he designed the Spencer S-12 Air Car Amphibian . Construction of the S-12 began on March 1, 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;
102-497: A Bradford industrialist and investor, the affordable E-2 was meant to encourage greater interest in aviation. Later in 1930, the company went bankrupt, with Piper buying the assets, but keeping founder C. Gilbert Taylor on as president. In 1936, an earlier Cub was altered by employee Walter Jamouneau to become the J-2 while Taylor was on sick leave. Some believed the "J" stood for Jamouneau, while aviation historian Peter Bowers concluded
153-587: A cruise speed of 75 mph (121 km/h), a service ceiling of 12,000 ft (3,658 m), a stall speed of 38 mph (61 km/h), an endurance of three hours, and a range of 225 mi (362 km). Some 5,413 L-4s were produced for U.S. forces, including 250 built for the U.S. Navy under contract as the NE-1 and NE-2. All L-4 models, as well as other tandem-seat light aircraft from Aeronca and Taylorcraft , were collectively nicknamed "Grasshoppers", although any liaison plane, regardless of manufacturer,
204-617: A fire in the Piper factory, a former silk mill in Bradford, Pennsylvania , ended its production in 1938. After Piper moved his company from Bradford to Lock Haven , Pennsylvania, the J-3, which featured further changes by Jamouneau, replaced the J-2. The changes integrated the vertical fin of the tail into the rear fuselage structure and covered it simultaneously with each of the fuselage's sides, changed
255-620: 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. 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
306-673: A licensee in Oklahoma. In the late 1940s, the J-3 was replaced by the Piper PA-11 Cub Special (1,500 produced), the first Piper Cub version to have a fully enclosed cowling for its powerplant and then the Piper PA-18 Super Cub , which Piper produced until 1981 when it sold the rights to WTA Inc. In all, Piper produced 2,650 Super Cubs. The Super Cub had a 150 hp (110 kW) engine which increased its top speed to 130 mph (210 km/h). Its range
357-531: 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. Twenty-three Seabees were converted to a twin-engine variant known as the United Consultants Twin Bee 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
408-484: 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,
459-522: Is Piper Aircraft's most-produced model , with nearly 20,000 built in the United States. Its simplicity, affordability and popularity invokes comparisons to the Ford Model T automobile . The aircraft is a high-wing , strut-braced monoplane with a large-area rectangular wing. It is most often powered by an air-cooled, flat-4 piston engine driving a fixed-pitch propeller. Its fuselage
510-778: Is a welded steel frame covered in fabric , seating two people in tandem . The Cub was designed as a trainer. It had great popularity in this role and as a general aviation aircraft. Due to its performance, it was well suited for a variety of military uses such as reconnaissance, liaison and ground control. It was produced in large numbers during World War II as the L-4 Grasshopper . Many Cubs are still flying today. Cubs are highly prized as bush aircraft . The aircraft's standard chrome yellow paint came to be known as "Cub Yellow" or "Lock Haven Yellow". The Taylor E-2 Cub first appeared in 1930, built by Taylor Aircraft in Bradford, Pennsylvania . Sponsored by William T. Piper ,
561-427: Is distinguished from its successors by having a cowl that exposes its engine's cylinder heads — the exposed cylinders of any J-3's engine were usually fitted with sheet metal "eyebrow" air scoops to direct air over the cylinder's fins for more effective engine cooling in flight. Very few other examples exist of "flat" aircraft engine installations (as opposed to radial engines) in which the cylinder heads are exposed. From
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#1732765887341612-550: The RAF Benevolent Fund to be raffled off. Piper distributors nationwide were encouraged to do the same. On April 29, 1941, all 48 Flitfire aircraft, one for each of the 48 states that made up the country at that time, flew into La Guardia Field for a dedication and fundraising event which included Royal Navy officers from the battleship HMS Malaya , in New York for repairs, as honored guests. At least three of
663-509: The war effort as a test pilot for the Republic Aircraft Corporation . He flight tested the company's P-43 Lancers and P-47 Thunderbolts . In April 1943, Spencer left Republic Aircraft for the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago, Illinois, which wanted to use his Air Car to promote the company. Spencer used the company's wood forming equipment to build a new egg-shaped cabin for the Air Car and began demonstrating
714-609: The Cub continues to be sought after by bush pilots for its short takeoff and landing ( STOL ) capabilities, as well as by recreational pilots for its nostalgia appeal. The new aircraft are actually modeled on the PA-11, though the Legend company does sell an open-cowl version with the cylinder heads exposed, like the J-3 Cub. An electrical system is standard from both manufacturers. The J-3
765-552: The Cub. In 1940, the year before the United States entered the war, 3,016 Cubs had been built. Wartime demands soon increased that production rate to one Cub being built every 20 minutes. Prior to the United States entering World War II, J-3s were part of a fund-raising program to support the United Kingdom. Billed as a Flitfire , a Piper Cub J3 bearing Royal Air Force insignia was donated by W. T. Piper and Franklin Motors to
816-690: The J-3 Cubs, designated J3C when using the Continental A series , J3F using the Franklin 4AC , and J3L with the Lycoming O-145 . Very few examples, designated J3P , were equipped with Lenape Papoose 3-cylinder radial engines . The outbreak of hostilities in Europe in 1939, along with the growing realization that the United States might soon be drawn into World War II , resulted in
867-639: The Korean War. The United States Army also operated small numbers of L-4s, but were replaced by L-16 during the war. The L-4 was in service in many of the same roles it had performed during World War II, such as artillery spotting, forward air control and reconnaissance. Some L-4s were fitted with a high-back canopy to carry a single stretcher for medical evacuation of wounded soldiers. Modernized and up-engined versions are produced by Cub Crafters of Washington and by American Legend Aircraft in Texas , as
918-519: 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
969-819: 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 Republic of Vietnam Air Force. In order to meet the anticipated postwar demand for civilian light aircraft, Republic endeavored to build the Seabee as inexpensively as possible, while still retaining reasonable performance and range. A lot of thought went into eliminating what were at
1020-468: The PA-11 on through the present Super Cub models, the cowling surrounds the cylinder heads. A curiosity of the J-3 is that when it is flown solo, the lone pilot normally occupies the rear seat for proper balance, to balance the fuel tank located at the firewall. Starting with the PA-11, as well as some L-4s, fuel was carried in wing tanks, allowing the pilot to fly solo from the front seat. The aircraft has been popular with flying schools — especially from
1071-564: The Spencer Amphibian Air Car, with S-12C, S-12D, and S-12E, and S-14 variants. The first example was test flown in 1970 in Chino, California . The unit had a build cost of $ 8700.00. The S-12-D Aircar was an improved and larger four-seat aircraft, which retains the basic layout of the Seabee. The two-seat S-14 used advanced composites and was test flown by Spencer in 1983 at the age of 86. Its design did not meet expectations and
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#17327658873411122-410: The U.S. were redesignated as J-3s, but often retained their wartime glazing and paint. An icon of the era and of American general aviation , the J-3 Cub has long been loved by pilots and nonpilots alike, with thousands still in use. Piper sold 19,073 J-3s between 1938 and 1947, the majority of them L-4s and other military variants. After the war, thousands of Grasshoppers were civilian-registered under
1173-588: 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
1224-484: 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
1275-476: The company has decided to discontinue production of the Seabee". Actually, by summer (July/August) 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
1326-455: 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
1377-582: The controls. The design led to the Republic RC-3 Seabee . 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. In 1968, Spencer and retired United States Air Force Colonel Dale L. "Andy" Anderson formed a new company to market a four-place amphibious homebuilt design once again called
1428-548: 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. Seabees became popular in Canada and the US and were also well-suited for operation in countries with long coastlines, many islands and lakes and large areas of wilderness. By
1479-596: The designation J-3. Sixty-five pre-war Taylor and Piper Cubs were assembled from parts in Canada (by Cub Aircraft Corporation Ltd. ). After the war, 130 J-3C-65 models were manufactured in Hamilton, Ontario. Sixteen L-4B models, (known as the Prospector ), were later manufactured. The last J-3 model was assembled from parts at Leavens Bros. Toronto in 1952. J-3 Cubs were also assembled in Denmark and Argentina and by
1530-712: The engine size, wingspan, cargo carrying capacity, controls, trim activation, environmental systems, landing light and many others have been available since the early 1970s. The Seabee is popular with air charter companies and small feeder airlines and is operated by private individuals and companies. Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947 General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era [REDACTED] Media related to Republic Seabee at Wikimedia Commons Percival H. Spencer Percival Hopkins Spencer (April 30, 1897 – January 16, 1995)
1581-468: 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
Republic RC-3 Seabee - Misplaced Pages Continue
1632-568: 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
1683-720: The formation of the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP). The Piper J-3 Cub became the primary trainer aircraft of the CPTP and played an integral role in its success, achieving legendary status. About 75% of all new pilots in the CPTP (from a total of 435,165 graduates) were trained in Cubs. By war's end, 80% of all United States military pilots had received their initial flight training in Piper Cubs. The need for new pilots created an insatiable appetite for
1734-589: The hedgerow bocage country south of the invasion beaches. For these and other operations, the pilot generally carried both an observer and 25-pound (11 kg) communications radio, a load that sometimes exceeded the plane's specified gross weight. After the Allied breakout in France, L-4s were occasionally equipped with improvised racks (usually in pairs or quartets) of infantry bazookas for attacking enemy vehicles. The most famous of these unlikely ground attack planes
1785-528: The inventor of, among other things, the Spencer repeating rifle . At the age of 14, Spencer built his first pontooned hang glider in April 1911 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 1929, he broke the light airplane altitude record—18,571 ft (5,660 m)—piloting a Curtiss Robin monoplane. Spencer
1836-445: The letter simply followed the E, F, G and H models, with the letter "I" skipped because it could be mistaken for the numeral "1". When he saw the redesign, Taylor was so incensed that he fired Jamouneau. Piper, however, had encouraged Jamouneau's changes and hired him back. Piper then bought Taylor's share in the company, paying him $ 250 per month for three years. Although sales were initially slow, about 1,200 J-2s were produced before
1887-530: The original Flitfires have been restored to their original silver-doped finish. Minutes before the 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor , Machinist Mate 2nd Class Marcus F. Poston, a student pilot, was on a solo flight through K-T Flying Service, piloting a Piper Cub J-3 over the valley of Oahu . Poston was flying just as the Japanese planes began appearing over the island and was subsequently shot down. Poston managed to bail out and parachute to safety. The Piper J-3 Cub
1938-473: The rearmost side window's shape to a smoothly curved half-oval outline and placed a steerable tailwheel at the rear end of the J-2's leaf spring-style tailskid, linked for its steering function to the lower end of the rudder with springs and lightweight chains to either end of a double-ended rudder control horn. Powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) engine, in 1938, it sold for just over $ 1,000. Several alternative air-cooled engines, typically flat-fours , powered
1989-478: The same era. Only Piper, with their cheap, long-lived Cub and Super Cub, Beech's popular Bonanza , and Cessna's early 140 and 120 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. Republic sold its last new Seabee in 1948. By that time
2040-657: The sole example was donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin . Spencer died at a nursing home in Torrance, California , in 1995, aged 97. Piper Cub The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft . The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub
2091-558: 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. From the late 1940s and into the 1950s, the Seabee was a popular bush plane and air ambulance in Canada, Norway, Sweden and the USA. In 2006, over 250 Seabees are still registered and flying,
Republic RC-3 Seabee - Misplaced Pages Continue
2142-413: 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
2193-571: The war effort as part of the newly formed Civil Air Patrol , patrolling the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast in a constant search for German U-boats and survivors of U-boat attacks. Piper developed a military variant ("All we had to do," Bill Jr. is quoted as saying, "was paint the Cub olive drab to produce a military airplane"), variously designated as the O-59 (1941), L-4 (after April 1942) and NE (U.S. Navy). The L-4 Grasshopper
2244-498: Was 460 miles (740 km). On 26 June 1950, one day after the Korean War broke out, the Republic of Korea Air Force flew L-4s to Dongducheon to support the ROK 7th Infantry Division against North Korean military by dropping two bombs from an observer in the rear seat. A total of 70 bombs were dropped until the following day, then aircraft were switched back to reconnaissance mission as bombs were depleted. South Korea lost 25 L-4s throughout
2295-520: Was an American inventor, aviation pioneer, test pilot, and businessman. He was one of the Early Birds of Aviation , a group which required members to have flown a glider, gas balloon or airplane prior to December 17, 1916. That association credited Spencer with "the longest active flight record in aviation history": he first soloed in 1914 and was a licensed pilot until 1987. He was born on April 30, 1897, to Christopher Miner Spencer (1833-1922),
2346-626: Was an L-4 named Rosie the Rocketer , piloted by Maj. Charles "Bazooka Charlie" Carpenter , whose six bazooka rocket launchers were credited with eliminating several tanks and armored cars during its wartime service, especially during the Battle of Arracourt . L-4s could also be operated from ships, using the Brodie landing system . After the war, many L-4s were sold as surplus, but a considerable number were retained in service. L-4s sold as surplus in
2397-523: Was mechanically identical to the J-3 civilian Cub, but was distinguishable by the use of a Plexiglas greenhouse skylight and rear windows for improved visibility, much like the Taylorcraft L-2 and Aeronca L-3 also in use with the US armed forces. It had accommodations for a single passenger in addition to the pilot. When carrying only the pilot, the L-4 had a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h),
2448-624: Was often referred to as a 'Cub'. The L-4 was primarily employed in World War II for artillery spotting and training liaison pilots, but short-range reconnaissance, medical evacuation, and courier or supply missions were not uncommon. During the Allied invasion of France in June 1944, the L-4's slow cruising speed and low-level maneuverability made it an ideal observation platform for spotting hidden German guns and armored vehicles waiting in ambush in
2499-423: Was the Spencer S-12 Air Car Amphibian . Construction began on March 1, 1941. The small, two-seat S-12 prototype, registration 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
2550-536: Was the first American plane to be shot down in World War II . The Piper Cub quickly became a familiar sight. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt took a flight in a J-3 Cub, posing for a series of publicity photos to help promote the CPTP. Newsreels and newspapers of the era often featured images of wartime leaders, such as Generals Dwight Eisenhower , George Patton and George Marshall , flying around European battlefields in Piper Cubs. Civilian-owned Cubs joined
2601-744: Was the president of Amphibians Inc. for three years, selling amphibian designs. In 1937, he joined Sikorsky engineer Victor A. Larsen to form the Spencer-Larsen Aircraft Corporation and 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, the Spencer Aircraft Company. His resulting design
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