Republic Seabees in Canada

< Prev | Beehive | Next >

No other country imported Republic Seabee amphibians in such great numbers as Canada. The Seabee amphibians were just perfect for this vast country of large remote areas of wilderness, thousands of lakes and low population density.  Canada was true bush country and in Canada the Seabee were put to hard work as commercial bushplanes.

The Seabees were imported in huge numbers by five major dealers and bushplane operators, one in each of the most populated provinces;  Leavens Bros. Air Service in Ontario, Pulsifer Bros. in Nova Scotia, McDonald Aviation in Alberta, Curtiss-Reid Flying Service in Quebec and MacLeod Aircraft in British Columbia.

The below list of RC-3 Seabee amphibians originally exported from manufacturer Republic Aviation Corporatin to Canada is based on a Republic Seabee Deliveries list made by RAC early 1948.  This list was provided Mr. Robert Porter, WA, through Mr. Steve Mestler of International Republic Seabee Owners Club (IRSOC).

Mr. Steve Mestler generously has made this list available to the author of this website ( www.seabee.info ).  Thank you very much, Steve, for your kind support!

Chinook Flying Service Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta, was one of many commercial operators of Seabees in Canada. Unfortunately Chinook's operation of CF-EJI (MSN 393) was short-lived.  The Seabee that was bought for a DEW Line contract along the Arctic Coast. In 1953 Franz, Marjorie and Gerry flew to Vancouver to inspect the amphibian, which was owned by Grant McConnachie of Canadian Pacific Airlines fame.

Following the inspection and purchase Gerry was tasked with flying the plane home. Because the Seabees and Navions had a history of loosing oil through their propellers Gerry asked about what to do in an emergency. In his typical, understated manner Franz simply said, "reach under the seat, grab the landing gear crank, throw it out the door and follow it down." Seabees were known to be notoriously poor gliders. Gerry only flew it a short while longer, then it was sent to Fort Smith, NWT, while enroute to the Arctic. With Lloyd Smith at the controls and approaching for landing, he pulled the mixture to cutoff instead of the carburetor heat. Powerless, the Seabee crashed into the trees, injuring Lloyd and killing the only passenger.

To read more about Chinook Flying Service and their aircraft, please visit Trevor McTavish's website.

Photo

Fate unknown.

2008/09/25
Jean Pinard; 137, Route 123, Lac-au-Saumon, Quebec G0J 1M0, Canada.

Leavens Bros. Air Services, Ltd., Toronto, Ontario.

2002/08/13 C of R cancelled.

1953/08/14 Lake Saskatoon, Alberta: crashed on landing at lake. Pilot Jens Dalen seriously injured. Owner, Dr. Daniel Gurth O'Briend, drowned.

2002/04/09
Brad Gemmer; 9060-24th Street, Edmonton,  Alberta T6P 1X2, Canada.

1953/11/17: 1/4 mile North of Depot Lake, Ontario: Forced landing in the bush due to engine failure/fire. Destroyed by impact/fire. No injuries to pilot George G. Smith.

Exported to USA

1997/09/08: Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, 3 mi west of Pulp Mill, at Youbou, one half mile off shore: Observer reported that the aircraft mad a sudden 90 degree turn and then dropped into the lake. Pilot only on board transported to Victoria Hospital with undetermined injuries.

1950/06/16: Go Home Bay, Ontario: Pilot lowered wheels instead of flaps, landing with wheels down on water. Aircraft severely damaged.

1958/08/24 Lake Erie, off Port Stanley, Ontario; crashed an sank after landing at rough water (left wing float failed). Damaged beyond economical repair. Parts used on hull #147 CF-DLN (2).

1963/10/14 Lake Simcoe, Island Groves, Ontario: aircraft landed in lake with wheels down. Aircraft was substantially damaged.

2022 under restoration.

Withdrawn from use.

To C-GAJH, N245RC.

Michael Lush;
873501 5th Line,
Orangeville, Ontario
L9W 2Z2, Canada.

To N578CB.

1948/07/08 Toronto, Ontario; A/c took off, reached approximately 200' then started to lose altitude.  In order to avoid localizer house and bush in line of take off, pilot turned left and landed in open field.  

To VP-GAP, N174G.

1951/11/17: Lake Saint-Augustin, Quebec: Accident information not available. Apparently, the aircraft crashed on lake (seaplane base of Ancienne-Lorette Airways) in poor weather, after hitting a submerged rock during landing . Both Captain Rosaire Fiset (44) and his son Gaston Fiset (17) were killed. Aircraft was destroyed. [Accident File # 5002-307].

1947/02/?? accident at Republic Aviation Corporation factory.

Became CF-FRX.

1951/07/10 West Tahtsa Lake, B. C.: aircraft crashed and sank on "glassy water" landing. 

MacLeod Aircraft, Ltd., Vancouver, B. C.

Written off.

1956/07/27 Fort Smith, Northwest Territories; 60°01'N, 111°58'W: Forced landing in the bush due to engine failure, caused by mechanical failure of mixture control. 1 fatal, 1 serious.

1949/03/20: Porpoise Island, British Columbia: Aircraft was on a ferry flight from Sechelt, BC, to Vancouver when the engine suddenly stopped. A forced landing was made in the Strait of Georgia. An engine fire was extinguished. The pilot and air engineer drifted four hours before they were picked up. The aircraft was found the next day on the rocks on Trail Island and was destroyed. [Canadian CAR Files# 5008-E10-10 / 5802-18024].

1950/08/19: Pilot was enroute to Towes Brothers logging camp with one passenger aboard, when a landing on Harrison Lake, B.C., was attempted with the wheels down. 

1950/09/04 crashed near Ida Lake, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, after engine stopped due to fuel starvation.

1948/02/01 Bedwell Harbour, South Pender Island, BC: Aircraft landed on water with wheels down. Damaged beyond repair.

MacLeod Aircraft, Ltd.; Vancouver, B. C.

(887)

To N82283.

To N868CB, C-GNUN.

1953/07/12 Gawley's Park, Midland, Ontario: Crashed on a local beach after loosing height (stalled) after take off from water. The pilot and three boys escaped with minor injuries.  Fifth passenger serous.

To N6591K.

To N6593K.

To N937Z.

Leavens Bros. Air Services, Ltd., Toronto, Ontario.

1955/02/21 Meat-Bird Lake, Creighton Mines, Ontario: Aircraft was took off from Meat-Bird Lake for destination Rome Lake, then lost altitude after take-off and struck a tree top before crashing.

To N48VP, N46PH.

1958/06/28 Heavy landing Farquhar Lake (45°04'N, 78°12'W), after landing down wind (15-20 kts).  The keel broken.  The aircraft turned on its back.

1960/09/20 Accident at Walls Pond, Newfoundland.

1954/02/09: Patricia Bay, BC: On landing aircraft struck submerged object, thought to be ad "dead-head" log. Damages to forward hull. Repaired.

1965/08/30
Kirk Oviatt; 1526-925 Georgia West
Vancouver, BC V6C 1R5
Canada

GM LS2 engine conversion.
"Beeboyz Seabee" (Alton & Galloway).

GM engine conversion.

1965/09/18 crashed Margaret Lake, 13 miles NNW of Cochrane, Ontario.

Crashed 1957/11/21 Lac Simon, Quebec.

2007/10/02 wreck found.
2008/05/14 wreck recovered.

Rebuilt as "Butler RB".

Terry R. Matthews
PO Box 1196
Camrose, Alberta T4V 1X2.

To N672CB.

1972-06-02 Crashed 5 miles NE of the southern tip of Lac La Hache lake in central British Columbia, Canada. Owner Ken Culvert and his best friend Dale were killed.  They were flying from Richmond, BC. 

To N62544.

1999-05-04
Henri Briaco
415 Denoirmoutier, Apt. 6
Laval, Quebec H7N 5V4
Canada

To N10198.

Geoffrey Michel
810 - 3633 Mount Seymour Parkway
North Vancouver
British Columbia V7H 0A9.

1968/11/10 Written Off.

1983/11/17
Kenneth Turnbull
1370 Beach Grove Road
Delta, BC V4L 1N6.

Exported to Turks & Caicos Islands as VQ-TPA.

To N283GM.

Turbomeca Astazou II turbine engine.

2013/05/07
Ryan Dearborn; Box 801, 225 - 4th Avenue West, Unity, Saskatchewan S0K 4L0.

Base of operations: Vancouver, BC.

Robinson V8 engine conversion.
"Thunderbee".

To N300TB, C-GVFF.

2011/09/01
Lloyd Smith
6023 4th Street NE
Calgary, Alberta T2K 4Z5
Canada

Ex CF-GAA, N6727K.

To N9948C.

To CF-EVE.

To N245RC.

Reynolds-Alberta Museum
P.O. Box 6360
Wetaskiwin
Alberta T9A 2G1

In museum.

Robinson V8 engine conversion.
VEEBEE MSN 001-23-007.

To C-GEUC.

Robinson V8 engine conversion.
VEEBEE MSN 001-23-007.

2011/12/01
Steven Kiansky; Box 185, Vita, Manitoba R0A 2K0, Canada.

Base: Altona (CJL6), Manitoba.

Robinson V8 engine conversion.
"Thunderbee".

Ex C-FOME, N300TB.

< Prev |Beehive | Next >