REPUBLIC RC-3 SEABEE # 314

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N6128K

NC6128K
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AIRCRAFT DATA

Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Corporation; Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, USA.
Model: RC-3 Seabee
Type Certificate No: A-769
Serial Number: 314
Manufacturing Date: 1947-01-??
Engine: Franklin 6A8-215-B8F (215 HP at 2500 RPM)
Remarks: Mode S codes: 51774646 / A7F9A6
 
Reg. No. Date Remarks
NC6128K 1947-01-?? Manufacturing Date.
1947-01-?? Test flight.
1947-01-31 Officially delivered from Republic Aviation Company to Aircraft Sales Company; Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
1947-07-30 C of R issued to:
Ralph E. Laverty; 1630 Regent Street, Niles, Michigan 49120.
1948-03-14

Niles Airport, Niles, Michigan. Destroyed in hangar fire.

MAIN HANGER AND 21 PLANES ARE DESTROYED

Niles City Firemen Struggle In Vain To Check Flames 

     The main hangar of the Niles airport and 21 airplanes were completely destroyed last night by a fire estimated to have caused at least $90,000 worth of damage.
     Exact cause of the blaze is not known, but firemen speculated that it started from a short in the ignition system of one of the planes and rapidly spread to the other aircraft housed in the big cement block and wood structure.
     The fire was reported at 8:10 p. m. Sunday by residents living near the airport, which is located on Lake street northeast of the Niles city .limits. The entire Niles fire department turned out but was unable lo *tem the flames until they had 'Completely devoured the building and its contents.
                                                                 ***
     LELAND ROSKAY, MANAGER OF THE AIRPORT who lost 11 planes in the fire, wrenched his back in an effort to enter the building to remove records from the administration office. Otherwise, no one was injured. The blaze had run its course by 10 p. m.
     Several other privately-owned hangars on the field escaped damage.
     The destroyed hangar was built with WPA funds in 1941 at a cost of $25,000. It is estimated that it would cost twice that much or more to replace at the present time.
     Airport officials said the loss might have been greater except for the fact that several owners of heavy planes recently removed their craft to the South Bend airport because the run- 4 ways at the Niles airport were " too soggy for them to make proper take-offs. Yesterday's hangar fire was the second large conflagration In Niles this month. On March 4 fire starting in the Kerr hardware store on Main street just off Second street-spread to two adjacent buildings and caused $235,000 worth of damage before it was brought under control by three fire departments.
     Airport manager Roskay this morning furnished the following list of planes destroyed by, the hangar fire and their owners: 
     Roskay — seven Piper Cub trainers, one Beechcraft Bonanza, one Piper Cub cruiser, one Stinson cabin plane, and one BT-19 Army trainer; J. C. Williams — Piper Cub cruiser; Tyler Fixture Co. — Stinson cabin plane; Earl Laverty — SeaBee amphibian; Francis Drisree of South Bend — Aeronca: and Dr. Kenneth L. Gamble of Buchanan — one single-engined plane.
     Five or six other planes also were destroyed, but the airport manager could not identify their make or their owners this morning.
     The hangar building, it is reported, was covered with just enough insurance to pay for its original cost, $25,000. The planes were reported covered with S40,000 in insurance, probably at least $25,000 less than their actual value.

[The News-Palladium; Benton Harbor, Mich., Monday, March 14, 1948.]

1951-07-23 Cancelled from CAA Aircraft Register.
  Sources: RAC Seabee Delivery List.
FAA Registry.
Barry Collman.
Matt Miller.

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