Republic XF-12 Rainbow reconnaissance aircraft
Posted by RLoret@reddit | WeirdWings | View on Reddit | 45 comments
Posted by RLoret@reddit | WeirdWings | View on Reddit | 45 comments
nafarba57@reddit
I like the proposed airliner version…TWA and Pan Am nonstop coast to coast service at 420 mph❤️❤️
DaveB44@reddit
1940s Concorde!
opieself@reddit
I love that the same company y gave us the RC-3 Seabee that shows up on here as well.
But it's best known airframe was the P-47.
Usual-Bar-6662@reddit
the reason the necelles are so long is because they have the same turbo super chargers in them as the P-47.
raven00x@reddit
So it's two p-47s carried by 4 p-47s. Republic really liked the p-47 didn't they?
cloudubious@reddit
Wait until you find out the f-84 is just a jet p-47
raven00x@reddit
next thing you're going to tell me is that an F-82 is just two P-51's taped together
GlockAF@reddit
I think the only part that was interchangeable between the Mustang and the twin Mustang was the paint
rocket_randall@reddit
Who doesn't?
Redliner7@reddit
A-10 Brrrrt would like to have a word with you. Arguably the more popular airframe in modern times... If you count 50y ago as modern, lol.
opieself@reddit
By that point it was just a branch of Fairchild so not a Republic aircraft, but a Fairchild Republic aircraft.
Redliner7@reddit
lol touche
Melech333@reddit
That Seabee though. It's so weird, and, and I love it. 😍
opieself@reddit
It is love, it is life.
KJ_is_a_doomer@reddit
don't forget the Thud too
Hermitcraft7@reddit
Find something new every day. Looks amazing. This and the XF-11 would pair nicely
mz_groups@reddit
Both R-4360 birds!
Hermitcraft7@reddit
Both recon too! They both have 4 props (it's true, just think it out for a second)! Both had only 2 built and first flew in 1946! Both had bad crashes during test flights!
Apparently my favorite flavor of aircraft are 1946 high-speed prototypes.
VitaNueva@reddit
Good call
Ornery_Year_9870@reddit
My dream museum display!
_Empty-R_@reddit
so purt purt
PigSlam@reddit
Was this built for the same proposal as the Hughes XF-11?
lionstigersbearsomar@reddit
Beautiful
Cessnaporsche01@reddit
Like, breathtakingly good looking
FuturePastNow@reddit
"Flying on all fours": Four engines, 400mph, 40,000 feet, 4000 miles.
AnalBlaster700XL@reddit
Yeah, and it’s actually radials. I thought it looked like some weird early variant of turboprops, given the shape if the cowlings. Apparently, it had impellers to force in air for cooling.
FuturePastNow@reddit
The whole plane is an amazing exercise in streamlining for 1946. Also goes to show how big the plane was. It's about halfway between the B-17 and B-29 in length and wingspan.
The big gap in the wing leading edge in between the engines was the air intake for the intercoolers and oil coolers.
HiHiHibot@reddit
As fast as it looks?
mz_groups@reddit
Answer to the question, "What is the most streamlined package I can stuff 4 R-4360s into?"
Imbecilliac@reddit
One of the most beautiful aircraft ever built.
GrownHapaKid@reddit
The B-17 wants its tail back.
robot_sapiens@reddit
The nose is truly incredible.
The_LandOfNod@reddit
Gorgeous
GrafZeppelin127@reddit
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all?”
“XF-12.”
“…What?”
prancing_moose@reddit
Never knew this existed- it looks very sleek indeed. I wonder how fast it must have been.
Huffy_too@reddit
Reported top speed was 470 mph at altitude.
mymar101@reddit
The name lies. Where is the rainbow? =( =)
GlockAF@reddit
With radial engined aircraft the rainbows are always in the puddles beneath each engine cowling, where the oil leaks
mymar101@reddit
Why the down vote? Can’t take a little humor?
kingtacticool@reddit
Pretty darn sexy
General-Cover-4981@reddit
Wow. It's a beautiful design.
IRingTwyce@reddit
Jesus, that is a thing of beauty! You can tell the designers grew up in the golden age of sci-fi comics.
xerberos@reddit
Look how that fuselage narrows down to the flat fin with the horizontal stabilizer mounted above the fuselage. I've never seen that before. Almost looks like a toy airplane made of sheets of thin plywood.
Matman161@reddit
Looks like a child's drawing of an airplane brought to life, in a good way
Business_Anybody8025@reddit
I love how both this and the xf-11 look. both pretty reconnaissance planes