REPUBLIC RC-3 SEABEE # 615

< prev | prod | next >

N6386K Photo: Steve Homewood

N6386K
Oshkosh Wittman Regional (OSH / KOSH), WI, USA
26 July 2006
Photo: © courtesy Steve Homewood
Original photo at: http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1036319/

AIRCRAFT DATA
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Corporation; Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, USA.
Model: Republic RC-3 Seabee
Type Certificate No: A-769
Serial Number: 615
Manufacturing Date: 1947-04-03
Engine: (1) Franklin 6A8-215-B9F (215 hp at 2500 RPM)

(2) Lycoming GO-480-G2D6 (295 hp at 3400 RPM)
Remarks:
  • Fiberglass droop wing tips (21 lbs each), later replaced by carbon fiber droop tips weighing only 4 lbs each.
  • Daubenspeck cowling.
  • Hartzell fully reversing 3 blade propeller (93" dia cut to 86" dia and Q-tipped)
  • Upgraded tailwheel tire and wheel rim assembly.
  • Lake & Air landing gear position indicating system.
  • Air Wolfe spin-on oil filter.
  • Cleveland wheels and brakes - replacing the original BF Goodrich expander tube brakes.
  • Automatic electric bilge pumps.
  • 1994: Deeper instrument panel and had JarTech Avionics of Albion, NY install a King audio panel and transponder, and ACK altitude encoder.
  • Mode S Code: 52057250.
 
Reg. No. Date Remarks
NC6386K
N6386K		 1947-04-03 Manufacturing Date.
1947-04-?? Test flight.
1947-04-05 Officially delivered from Republic Aviation Corporation to Seabee distributor Miss Clara E. Livingston; Dorado, Puerto Rico.
1947-04-05 Carlos Garcia Quevedo; San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Operator: Trade Winds Aviation.
1950-09-26 Robert M. Black; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
$200 down and 13 monthly payments of $100 each, total $1,500.  Trade Winds Aviation would have the first option to buy the Seabee back should it be put up for sale by Mr. Black.
1951-09-20 Trade Winds Aviation Company; Santurce, Puerto Rico.
Purchased from Mr. Black for $1,300.  The Seabee had been in Trade Winds' shop for some time being rebuilt and was signed into service again on purchase date.

Airframe had been completely stripped to bare metal, zinc chromated, and painted in 'white synthetic enamel'.  New control cables, landing gear re-rigged.  Rear seat and upholstery removed.  Work signed off by A&E Maximo J. Garcia.
1953-05-28 Maximo J. Garcia and Emilio Q. Santaella; Santurce, Puerto Rico.
Purchased from Trade Winds Aviation for $1,200.
1954-06-03 W. H. Baston, Ozell Hewlett and W. H. Wright; Santurce, Puerto Rico.
Purchase price $1,100.
1954-10-20 Homer O. Rich; Hartford, Connecticut.
1954-11-03 David E. James Jr.; Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
1958-02-01 John R. Brons; South Miami, Florida.
1958-03-15 Kiefer G Tucker Jr.; Coral Gables, Florida.
1960-07-10 Air Worthiness Date.
1961-08-07 Marine International Diving and Salvage Company; Erie, Pennsyvania.
1961-09-28 Oil cooler and factory steerable tailwheel installed.
1964-03-02 Aero Products Engineering spray rails installed.
1967-04-25 Stevens Oldsmobile; Cortland, New York.
1967-05-16 L. Pugh Contractors, Inc.; Plattsburgh, New York.
1969-03-11 Alfred E. 'Skip' Neidhardt; Morrisville, New York.
1969-09-28 Albert B. Miller; East Aurora, New York.

Later address; 340 Seaward Avenue, Bradford, PA 16701, USA.
1982-04-14 Electric/hydraulic pump system, Stewart-Warner heater and a Lycoming GO-480-G2D6 engine and Hartzell propeller installed by STOL Aircraft Corporation; Norwood, Massachusetts.

Albert Miller flew the re-engined Seabee home from Norwood and started to restore it.  He stripped off the paint, removed the upholstery and most of the instruments.  Unfortunately, Mr. Miller developed cancer and died before he could finish the project.  The Seabee remained stored in hangar for several years.
1994-05-07 Sold at the Miller estate auction in Bradford, PA, to;
G. William Bardin; Brockport, New York,
1994-10-26 G. William Bardin; 2203 Redman Road, Brockport, New York 14420, USA.

Tel: (716) 964-9436
E-mail: gwbardin(at)rochester.rr.com

"The airplane sat in a hangar for 17 years before I bought it from his estate in an auction at Bradford, Pennsylvania.  I spent a couple of weeks down there with a mechanic going through the engine, replacing the tires and several other things before finally determining the airplane was airworthy enough for me to fly it home on a ferry permit.

... Because it had been sitting for so long, there was a lot of light surface corrosion, so I cleaned that up, then took the plane up to Canada, to Sky Habor at Goderich, Ontario and had them do the paint job for me.  It's Imron and they did a fantastic job for me.  I was really pleased with it.

Then I brought it home and started going through the interior.  I made all the patterns, sent them to Air Tech and had them make an all new cabin interior"

   
  Sources: RAC Seabee Delivery List
RAC Seabee Export List 1948-11-15
FAA Aircraft Registry

N6386K Photo: David N. Lowry

N6386K
KD52
9 July 2005
Photo: © David N. Lowry
Original photo at: http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/011831L.html 

N6386K Photo: Jean-Pierre Bonin

N6386K
Ottawa - Rockcliffe (YRO / CYRO), Ontario, Canada
26 August 2006
Photo: © courtesy Jean-Pierre Bonin
Original photo at: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1104332/L/

< prev | prod | next >

Updated 2011-01-13

© 2006-2011 Steinar Saevdal