Republic Seabees in The Military

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VQ-PAV (s/n 1019)
Israel 1948
Photo: © Michael Flint

USAAF

 

May 1947 saw the birth of Seabee NC6429K (s/n 674). It was delivered new by Republic's pilots and demonstrated by Republic's pilots for a total of 2 (two) days to the USAAF as Model YOA-15. The Republic pilots then flew it back to the factory where it was used by the factory as a demonstrator on the east coast the rest of that year and the next.

It was never assigned a mil number or painted any other color than a standard seabee.  Republic sold it to a John Philbrook, who used it in his air charter business, Arondiacs Airways (sp?) in ? Maine.  John had a second seabee in the business and was killed in that one. Mr. Herman Mau bought it from the estate. It was stored at Mau's in FL, land locked for several years because the water level in the lake got too low to fly it out!!

 

 

Israel Air Force

In April 1947 Israel was declared an independent nation.  War followed and hords of Israel-friendly people went to Israel to support the new nation. At the same time the Israel Air Force was founded.

Republic Seabee NC6731K (s/n 1019)
Israel ca. 1948
Photo: © via John Havers

In 1947 Republic RC-3 Seabee s/n 1019 (NC6731K) was sold from Republic Aviation to a businessman.  Official RAC records list says that s/n 1019 was imported to Israel by Aerogypt High Speed Development Company, Palistine, Israel.  This businessman donated the Seabee to the new Israel AF for utility flying. The Seabee was initally registered VQ-PAV, but was soon transferred to the Israel AF.

B-61 (s/n 1019)
Israel 1948.
Photo: © ?

In 198? a Republic Seabee was donated to the Israeli Air Force Museum, Beer Sheva, Israel, by an American businessman, Mr. Robert Hebron.  The Seabee, s/n 864 (ex N6564K), was put on display painted as the original Israel AF Seabee.

 

Paraguayan Naval Aviation

Paraguayan Naval Aviation's Republic RC-3 "SeaBee" based at Sajonia (Asunción) Naval Air Base during 1950.

After their participation in the Revolution of 1947, the Paraguayan Naval Aviation (ANP - Aviación Naval Paraguaya) was almost dismantled. This was due to the fact that the ANP fought on the rebel side and since the Government forces won, the Navy had to pay the price.

In October 1947 two Republic Seabee amphibians were delivered from manufacturer Republic Aviation Corporation in USA to Ministerio De La Defensa Nacional, Government of Paraguay, Asunción, Paraguay, through Republic distributor Horacio Torrendell S.A.; Montevideo, Uruguay.  It is unknown what happened  to the Seabees 1947 - 1949.  It is possible that they were stored in Uruguay or in Paraguay due to unstable politics in Paraguay.  A third Seabee is also reported to have been delivered to Paraguay, possibly c/n 1003.

On April 4th, 1948, Lt. Tomás Galeano was appointed as the Commander of the Paraguayan Naval Aviation. By that time, the only aircraft used by the ANP were two N.A.F N3N-3s hydroplanes and only one of them was in flying condition. He requested new aircraft to the Commander of the Navy but it took a while to finally get a positive answer.

In 1949, the Ministry of Defense started looking for suitable aircraft for the Navy, either hydroplanes or amphibians. Since military authorities had to deal with a reduced budget, they started looking for second-hand planes. Somehow, they got in touch with a Uruguayan company, Horacio Torrendell S.A., that used to import all kinds of airplanes at that time (late 1940s). Some Paraguayan Navy top rank Officers inspected the Seabees and recommended their purchase to the Ministry of Defense.

The three Seabees were bought in December 1949 (???) and were brought to Paraguay immediately. They were officially assigned to the ANP in January 1950. They received the following serials:

Naval 101: Republic RC-3 Seabee (c/n 1005). Built in 1947. It was originally assigned US registration number NC6722K and was officially delivered from Republic Aviation Corp. to Swedish Seabee distributor Hans Osterman AB (Stockholm, Sweden) on 25 September 1947.  However, it seems that Hans Osterman AB cancelled the delivery, and in October 1947 the aircraft was reassigned to Ministerio De La Defensa Nacional, Government of Paraguay, Asunción, Paraguay, through Republic distributor Horacio Torrendell S.A.; Montevideo, Uruguay. It received the serial NAVAL 101 in the Paraguayan Naval Aviation in 1950. It was extensively used during the 1950's as a trainer and transport plane. It was wfu in 1960 and later scrapped.

Naval 102: Republic RC-3 Seabee (c/n 1037). Built in 1947. It was originally assigned US registration number NC6749K and was officially delivered from Republic Aviation Corp. to Swedish Seabee distributor Hans Osterman AB (Stockholm, Sweden) on 26 September 1947.  However, it seems that Hans Osterman AB cancelled the delivery, and in October 1947 the aircraft was reassigned to Ministerio De La Defensa Nacional, Government of Paraguay, Asunción, Paraguay, through Republic distributor Horacio Torrendell S.A.; Montevideo, Uruguay. It received the serial NAVAL 102 in the Paraguayan Naval Aviation in 1950. It was extensively used during the 1950's as a trainer and transport plane. It was wfu in 1960 and later scrapped.

Naval 103: This has been a “mistery plane” for decades but it is very likely that this Seabee was c/n 1003. Horacio Torrendell S.A. just imported three Seabees and this one was one of them. It was also built in 1947 and originally registered as NC6720K for Clara Livingston of Puerto Rico. It received the serial NAVAL 103 in January, 1950 in the ANP. This plane was lost in a fatal accident at Ypacaraí Lake on July 3rd, 1957. It’s only crew member, Lt. PAN (Navy Pilot) Raúl Viera Cazal, died in the crash.

 

Remains of the Paraguayan Naval Aviation Republic RC-3 Seabee NAVAL 102 at Asunción International Airport in 1969. Photo Copyright: Alex Reinhard.

The Seabees were based at the Sajonia Naval Air Station in Asunción, on the Paraguay River. They kept the overall bare metal finish, except for the lower hull, which was painted in black, as well as the lower part of the wing floats. The Paraguayan flag colors, red, white and blue, were painted in the rudder, with a yellow star on the white stripe. Black anchors were painted in the four wing positions and the serial numbers were painted in black squared letters/numbers on both sides of the front fuselage.

Lt. Galeano remained in charge until 1956, when he was replaced by Lt. Commander Juan de Dios Cardozo on February 19 of that year.

The ANP Seabees were replaced by the Grumman JRF-5 Goose which arrived in 1958. For at least two years, the ANP kept the remaining Seabees in service along with the Goose. 

By Mr. Antonio Luis Sapienza Fracchia
SAFCH # 1160
LAAHS – Paraguay
© Copyright 2005 by LAAHS
Additional comments by Steinar Saevdal

 

 

Vietnamese Air Force (Indochina)

Reportedly Republic Seabees have been operated by the Vietnamese Air Force in the early 1950s.  Probably they were of French origin.

 

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Updated 2010-12-18

© 2010 Steinar Saevdal