Flying photos of Planes I

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1947 Republic1957 Piper Apache1977 Nanchang CJ-6A1977 Nanchang CJ-6A
Long EZ row1938 Lockheed Electra1938 Lockheed ElectraPhoto8




Manufacturer name: Republic
Manufacturer year: 1947
Manufacturer model: RC-3 Seabee
Engine: Franklin
Engine Model: 6A8 SERIES 215 HP
Wing Span: 37 ft. 8 in.
Draft: 1 ft. 6 in.
Cruising Speed: 103 mph
Takeoff Weight: 3150
Range: 560 miles
Photo Location: Lupien Field, WA, 76S

At the end of World War Two Republic began building the Seabee, a civilian amphibian, for what was seen as a booming market for new civil aircraft. Republic acquired the design of an aircraft in this category from P. H. Spencer, a well-known designer of single-engine amphibians. The plane was designed to be built quickly and cheaply, and Republic thought it would be successful as there was no low-priced amphibian on the market. The resulting Republic RC-1 prototype was first flown during 1945. In production form, as the RC-3 Seabee, this airplane had four-seat accommodation and was powered by a Franklin flat-six engine. Demand for the Seabee was enormous, primarily because the company had underpriced it at $3995. Money was saved by using a stiffened airframe with few internal parts, only 450 in all. The Seabee was able to hold four and it was large and comfortable. However the unrealistic original price soon escalated to $5995 which was beyond the reach of most returning veterans. When production was brought to an end in late 1947, a total of 1076 airplanes had been built. The company's order book was then far from satisfied, but Republic could not afford to sell each airplane at a considerable loss. The RC-3 Seabee was powered by one Franklin 6A-215-B8F or B9F flat-six engine, giving the airplane a maximum speed of 120 mph at 2,500 feet, service ceiling of 12,000 feet, and a range of 360 miles. In spite of failing commercially, the Seabee was a safe and rugged aircraft and many are still flying.



Manufacturer name: Piper
Manufacturer year: 1957
Manufacturer model: PA-23 Apache
Engine: Lycoming
Engine Model: O-320 (2)
Wing Span: 37 ft.
Length: 27 ft. 1 in.
Height: 9 ft 5 in
Cruising Speed:
Empty Weight:
Range:
Photo Location: Lupien Field, WA, 76S

The Apache was Piper's first production twin-engined, four-place executive airplane. As such it was to become the forerunner of a long line of Piper executive and charter aircraft that extends to this day. With this airplane, Piper left behind the tube-and-fabric Cub for the modern all-metal airplane.

When Piper purchased the assets of the Stinson Division of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation in 1948, one of the proposed designs was the Twin Stinson that was to be a modification of the popular Stinson 108 Voyager/Station-Wagon. In 1952 Piper decided to build the Twin Stinson as a light twin-engined executive airplane. The experimental prototype, the Model 23-1, was a four-place, steel tube-and-fabric, low-wing airplane with a fixed tricycle landing gear and a twin tail. It was powered by two 125 hp Lycoming O-290D engines. Flight tests in 1952 indicated that the airplane was under-powered and had some control response and vibration problems. Correction of these difficulties resulted in the complete redesign of the airplane, including all-metal construction, a single vertical fin, retractable landing gear, and 150 hp Lycoming 0-320-A engines with constant speed propellers. Completed in July 1953, it was renamed the PA-23 Apache and was the first of the Piper "Indians," when Piper began naming its various aircraft after Indian tribes.

The first production PA-23-4 Apache was delivered early in 1954. Initially the airplane was to have been sold for $25,000 but the actual price at the time of first production was $32,500. This was still the least expensive twin of that class. Much to the surprise of many skeptics, sales began to climb and Piper production capacity had difficulty keeping up with the orders. Apaches came in three versions, Standard, Custom, and Super Custom and ultimately 2,204 Apaches were produced through 1958. Piper upgraded the Apache in 1960 with 250 hp Lycoming engines, new flight instrumentation, a swept vertical fin that increased performance, and a new name, the Aztec. Over 4,800 Aztecs were built. The Apache and Aztec price and size allowed smaller companies and executives to own or operate business aircraft.



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