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Republic RC-3 SeaBee

REPUBLIC RC-3 SEABEE

YEAR AND NUMBER MADE

Design began in 1941, production of the RC-3 begins in 1946 and ceased in 1947. 1060 were build

ACQUIRED FROM:

Purchased from Mervyn Punkari, co-owner of Air-Dale Flying Services, in Sault Ste. Marie, in 1995.

POWER

215 HP Franklin flat six

PRIMARY USE:

Designed for commercial use but was more popular as a recreational plane

HISTORY:

CF-DKG was originally flown by Georgian Bay Airways. The SeaBee was designed after the Second World War. It was an amphibious aircraft with a reversible engine which made it easy to dock and was under- powered. The plates installed on the wing tips are not original equipment. These plates were installed to reduce the stall speed.

The SeaBee owes its existence to Perival H. Spencer. Its cabin is roomy, comfortably seating a pilot and three passengers, with generous baggage area. A “pusher” propeller allows better visibility as do the three larger doors.

STORY:

In 1947, Ken Johns had a very unusual assignment when he flew SeaBee CF-FYB for Air-Dale. He was hired to fly for 100 hours at tree top level. His mission was to catch spruce budworms. The budworms were caught in a funnel attached to the SeaBee. The funnel connected to a cotton bag inside the plane. After 100 hours of flying he had netted only two budworms!

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

  • Honorary ownership of the item for one year: July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021
  • One Year Individual Membership to the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
  • A certificate of honorary ownership
  • Recognition of honorary ownership on display with the aircraft or truck in the museum for the year
  • Opportunity to have your photo taken with or in (where possible) your plane or truck
  • Any donor with a winning bid over $1000 will have their name added to the donor board in the centre's lobby
Organization
Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Value
$0.00
Starting Bid
$100.00

Item

# Bid Status By Date
1 $175.00 NorthbyNorthwest

This auction closed on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 9:00:00 PM.

Pickup Instructions

Shortly after winning your bid on any number of the planes included in the auction, you will be contacted by the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. Detailed instructions regarding how to claim your winnings, along with each of the included perks will be included in this email.

For any auction related questions, please email [email protected]

Closed on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 9:00:00 PM

About Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre

Adventure takes off at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. This one-of-a-kind and interactive museum is located in the historic waterfront hangar of the Ontario Provincial Air Service, which was instrumental in the development of bush flying and forest fire management in Northern Ontario. Explore 24 aircraft exhibits (some you can enter!) including the original De Havilland Beaver aircraft and the CL-215 waterbomber. Learn about flight in the Children’s Flight Centre with hands-on activities the whole family will enjoy. See a viewing of Wildfires!, our award-wining film about forest fire fighting in the North! Find unique gifts and STEM-themed toys in our gift shop. Get inspired with a guided tour about the development of bushplanes and forest fire management – available daily 10am and 2pm. Get “buggy” with Entomica Insectarium when you select the Adventure Pass admission option. Our Event Centre is perfect for weddings, birthdays, and corporate and social functions. The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre makes an excellent day trip for school field trips and recreational bus tours.