Mach2 but not in this puddle jumper

[JOCKNEY]

I've been feeling really guilty that as a co-host in this GB I have built not one but two, French aircraft in the High Wing GB.

 

So to try to make it up to @Wez a rummage in the stash found this.

 

Now I know it's not a French made aircraft but it did serve in French Indochina in 1949, so carries French markings and if that's not quite French enough for you, the kit was made in France, which must count for something !

 

 

 

 

 

Oh struth, I've just noticed that this is a High Wing as well, do I need to apologise to @CliffB the High Wing host as well now ? 

 

Cheers Pat

[2996 Victor]

Hi Pat,

 

Great little subject! Will you be building it in a diorama, tied up to a jetty with Christopher Lee as Francisco Scaramanga stood alongside?

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Oooh nice one Pat, If my Republic build goes through in November I’m hoping to see at least one of these in the build. 

Edited September 12, 2021 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[RidgeRunner]

You are really going for it, Pat! . That’s a nice choice.

 

Martin

[Colin W]

Excellent little subject. Although its American it looks like it should be French!

 

 

[JOCKNEY]

Some background on this unusual aircraft, from the excellent website 

http://www.seabee.info/rc3_france.htm

 

 

Approximately thirteen Seabees were exported from manufacturer Republic Aviation Corp. to French customers or customers related to France or French colonies.   Most of them were operated outside France, in French colonies and French protectorates.  Three of the Seabees were operated by TRAPAS in Nouvelle-Calédonie.  Others were operated in French West Africa, French Guiana and Indochina.

Nouvelle-Calédonie (New Caledonia) is a French overseas territory in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia.  The French possession consists of the main island New Caledonia, the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls.  Société Francaise des Transports Aériens du Pacific Sud - TRAPAS, was established in the capital Nouméa on 16 October 1946 by the French government to run air services in New Caledonia.  The fleet of aircraft included 3 Consolidated PBY-5A, 1 Canso A and 3 Republic Seabee amphibians; F-BDRK (s/n 198), F-BDRL (s/n 525) and F-BDRM (s/n 526).  The Seabees were given individual names.  Two of the Seabees were sadly destroyed on 14 March 1948, when a cyclone hit the Caledonian islands.  TRAPAS was laid down in September 1950.

 

 

French Indochina:

 

In 1947 the French government in Indochina acquired 3 Republic Seabees amphibians to equip an utility air unit named 'Section de Liaison du Haut-Commissariat de France' (SLHCF), based at Tan Son Nhut (Saigon).  The 3 Seabees were; s/n 961 NC6678K, s/n 978 NC6695K and possibly s/n 997.

They were piloted by pilots from Escadrille de Liaisons Aériennes 52 (French Air Force) and Escadrille 8S (Naval Aviation).  Escadrille 8S also operated Supermarine Otter. 

 

NC6695K was overall silver paint and had a French roundel on and under every wing, one French roundel and two forest green stripes on each fuselage side, registration number in forest green paint on the right wing end under left wing and green hull and wing floats bottoms.

 

The fates of the French Seabees are unknown, except for two reported to be destroyed in a cyclone in New Caledonia in 1948.

 

Cheers Pat