Republic XF-12 Rainbow

History

During World War II, the Republic Air name was mainly associated with the superb P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bomber, which proved to be very popular among pilots and, due to its versatile capabilities Planners are very valuable. One of the lesser-known projects of the Republic during the war was the XF-12 "Rainbow" reconnaissance platform, which only appeared in two prototype forms, but these were provided after the war.

The XF-12 grew out of a mid-war USAAC (United States Army Air Corps) ATSC (Air Technical Services Command) requirement that described a high-performance, long-range, high-altitude platform to support potential photography and reconnaissance of important enemy targets Mainly against the Japanese Empire in the Pacific theater.

The Pacific War Front is a very different beast from Africa, Europe and Asia. There are miles of ocean to contend with, and warfare on this side of the planet will ultimately involve every available weaponwarships, submarines, aircraft carriers, bombers, fighter jets, soldiers and marinesoften in the worst conditions imaginable (though there are pictures of palm trees and beaches). The biggest challenge for theater aircraft is dealing with the vastness of the oceana challenge that will soon see aircraft carriers replace battleships as "kings of the ocean." However, aircraft carriers were actually designed for small fighter jets and torpedo dive bombers, not multi-engine bombers.

Therefore, a long-range land-based bomber was required to reach the heartland of the Japanese Empire.

Unfortunately for Hughes and Republic's design, the end of the war (and the beginning of the jet age) meant the end of the project and forced Republic's design work into a postwar eclipse. The XF-12 was a promising design anywaydespite the loss of a second prototypeand would be one of the fastest-running four-engine aircraft of its time. In the end, the XF-12 program was scrapped entirely as the US Air Force (now the US Air Force, in addition to the Army) attempted to cut wartime spending. It ultimately concluded that the postwar world would hardly need expensive and brand-new dedicated observation/reconnaissance systems.

Although the U.S. Air Force ordered 98 prototypes of the Hughes XF-11, in the end only two prototypes existed. Likewise, the Republic only completed a pair of XF-12 Rainbow prototypes ("S/N 44-91002" and "S/N 44-91003"), the second flew over the Gulf of Mexico, two of which were lost after an in-flight engine explosion the crew.

On July 10, 1947, the first prototype was damaged in a forced landing due to the loss of the right main landing gear. This was repaired and the aircraft continued to be developed until the aircraft was officially retired in June 1952.

Then, rather sadly, this prototype was used as a target at the Aberdeen Proving Ground.

The XF-12 was also replaced by the lesser-known reconnaissance designation "XR-12" of the newly formed USAF. The Republic planned to build a stretched airliner version of its impressive XF-12 as the "RC-2" - which, of course, never materialized. Both American Airlines and Pan Am were initially interested in the RC-2 design, but after the failure of the XF-12 program with the U.S. military, they opted for an existing aircraft type.

Likewise, the U.S. military has opted for existing airframes that can roughly achieve what the XF-11/XF-12 program envisions - which includes the multi-engine Northrop P-61 Black Widow, Lockheed Constellation and Boeing Superfortress series.

Republic XF-12 Rainbow Spec

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