Republic Rainbow Airliner

[TomZ]

Republic Rainbow Airliner



Developed in 1943 the Republic XF-12 Rainbow was meant as a fast long range reconnaissance aircraft. It was the fastest large aircraft of its time. Because of the end of the war it did not enter into production however.
Republic had always intended to also build an airline version of the aircraft to be known as the RC-2. Fuel capacity would have been increased, and more powerful (at lower altitude) P&W R-4360-59s were substituted in place of the P&W R-4360-31s on the U.S. Air Force version.



The aircraft was lavishly appointed for the 46 passengers and seven crew. It was fully pressurized to sea level, air conditioned, with an electric galley providing hot meals and with an inflight lounge. It had the ability to cruise above the weather at 435 mph at 40,000 feet.



The launch customer for the RC-2 Rainbow was American Overseas Airways who operated the rainbow on their route from New York to London from 1945 onwards. The aircraft could fly this route non-stop at a cruise speed of 400mph making the crossing a lot faster than the Douglas DC-6 which had to make a stop en route and had a much lower cruise speed.
The Rainbow served with a large number of airways and was only replaced by the jet engined DC-8 and Boeing 707 in the early 1960s.



Kit: Anigrand 1/72 resin

TomZ

[PR19_Kit]

Truly wondrous Tom. 

The Rainbow has always been one of my fave aircraft, and in an airliner version it looks even better than the USAF PR version. Superbly done.

[TheChronicOne]

Wow!!! Pretty cool, what a good idea!!

[CammNut]

Gorgeous

[zenrat]

Gorgeous

x2

[ysi_maniac]

A true BEAUTY.

[Tophe]

Wow!!! Pretty cool, what a good idea!!

I have the same feeling: 

[TheChronicOne]

Yeah buddy, it's as if someone wanted to make something to compete with the Connie to take the beauty contest. 


"Here he comes, Mr. Tom . . . "

[McColm]

Great work 

[Cobra]

Superb Build,Tom Really looks Cool as an Airliner, if You Have Another,Howabout making it into a US Coast Guard Rescue plane? Keep up the Superb Work Dan

[KiwiZac]

Beautiful. I don't think I've seen more than one other example of this kit built online, let alone as an RC-2. Wonderful work!

[NARSES2]

Absolutely gorgeous.

Well done Tom 

[kitbasher]

Yes very smart.  I knew of the XF-12 but not the RC-2 that I read about on Wikipedia.

[Captain Canada]

Very nice.

[Rheged]

That's a very attractive aeroplane.  It would even stand  later conversion to jet power without losing any of its looks.