Republic Rainbow (XF-12, XR-12, and RC-2)

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Wikipedia - Republic Rainbow (XF-12, XR-12, and RC-2)

Modeling Madness - Anigrand 1/72nd scale XF-12 Rainbow built by Scott Van Aken
Click on image or html to view article

(Image source: Scott Van Aken/Modeling Madness)

Air and Space.com (previously known as Goleta Air and Space Museum) - Republic XF-12 Rainbow

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In the real world, only two Rainbows were built.  One destroyed in a crash and the other destroyed as a range target.  Certainly a sad ending for both aircraft.  The Rainbow is easy on the eyes and looks fast when parked. 

What if the war in the Pacific had continued?  Maybe the Rainbow could have taken part as a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft?  Dedicated versions for photographic reconnaissance and electronic reconnaissance?  Post war/Korean war era spy flights with Rainbows sporting natural metal finishes over black undersides flying over and around the Iron Curtain?  Nationalist Chinese Rainbows flying deep into Communist China?  Rainbows flying around and spying on Cuba during the Missile Crisis?  Rainbows launching from Pakistan and flying high over the Steppes of Russia to photograph missile launch facilities beforet he U-2 was introduced? 

Plenty of speculative and imaginative possibilities for the Rainbow and lest we forget, there was the civilian passenger carrying proposal from Republic that unfortunately did not see any metal cut for a commercial aircraft variant of the Rainbow but it would have been a pretty sight to see at any airport nonetheless. 

[GTX_Admin]

There is also a damn fine book available:




...but no 1/48 model kit!!!

[The Big Gimper]

I have the Anigrand kit and Sir John of Downunder did this for me:

 

Can't get enough of PRU blue.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Can't get enough of PRU blue.

PRU Pink might not be so bad either for those early morning or early evening missions. 

About the only thing that would make the Rainbow better looking would be some righteous looking wingtip mounted fuel tanks. 

[The Big Gimper]

Can't get enough of PRU blue.

About the only thing that would make the Rainbow better looking would be some righteous looking wingtip mounted fuel tanks.

Ohh, I    love  wingtip  tanks. I will add those too. 

[Dr. YoKai]

 Still my pick for the prettiest four-engined aircraft ever built. I recall a thread suggesting an
 unlimited air racing category for four-engined aircraft. Granted that the lines are just about
 perfect, I still wonder how the Rainbow* would look with a bubble canopy a ways back on the
 fuselage, and a solid ( but still pointy ) nose. And think of the color combinations for an air racing
 version. ( Constellations would be the main opposistion, I imagine. )




 * More interesting synchronicities-my favorite tri-motor is also a 'Rainbow'. ( Couzinet's Arc-En-Ciel )

[jcf]

I still wonder how the Rainbow* would look with a bubble canopy a ways back on the
 fuselage, and a solid ( but still pointy ) nose.
 

Like an over-sized plank-wing F-84, with a pointy nose. 

[RussC]

One of the prettiest craft ever, I built Anigrand's 144th XF-12 model when it first issued.

Speculative alternate history for the Rainbow would be SAC inventory for the recon version, plus the passenger version as the first AWCS and Looking Glass machines as well as executive transport. Some variants would be addition of jets and later replacement of the four fans with jets.
With its fighter-like fuselage shape, I'm sure Tophe would twin-up one very easy as well as asymmetrics.

Another might be a long-wing rec version. Still more would be a gunship convert like the C-47/C-119/C-124 for the IndoChina campaign.

NASA version for drone launches.

[finsrin]

Above posts are right on.
Recon, AWACS, air racing.  Sleek lines for air racing paint jobs.
For longest range recon missions it carries those wing tip tanks akin to look of T-33 tanks.  For best performance the tanks are dropped when empty.
F-84 picture is indication of appearance with a canopy.
Can envision XP-67 style blending of fuselage-wing-engines 

[Alvis 3.1]

What a beautiful aircraft.


I cannot bear to what if mine, it's perfection incarnate as is. It's weird when I cannot think of altering something, but it happens every 30 years or so.

Alvis 3.1

[elmayerle]

I keep thinking of replacing the R4360VDT engines with suitable turboprops.  To keep the streamlined nacelle shape, I'm tempted to go with Darts or Tynes unless a symmetric inlet version of the Allison 501/T56 was available.

[GTX_Admin]

Some jet nacelles like the XB-46 would be nice:

[Daryl J.]

Now *that* is what I'd like to see 4 though the wing turboprops on.   

[Tophe]

With its fighter-like fuselage shape, I'm sure Tophe would twin-up one very easy as well as asymmetrics.

Sorry, I discover this topic today.
Well, in 1945, preliminary calculations seemed to prove 3 engines would be enough, but new electronics needed more room.

[jcf]

I keep thinking of replacing the R4360VDT engines with suitable turboprops.  To keep the streamlined nacelle shape, I'm tempted to go with Darts or Tynes unless a symmetric inlet version of the Allison 501/T56 was available.

The Rainbow never actually got the VDT engines and as Anigrand incorrectly
moulded the nacelles with a circular exhaust, you can claim it's a turboprop OOB.

[M.A.D]

I would love to see the XF-12 drawn in a full fledged bomber - with Boeing B-29 low profile remote controlled turrets, bomb bay, bomb-aiming window, retractable bomb-aiming radar etc.....
Hint hint 

M.A.D 

[The Big Gimper]

Found these over at Secret Projects. Profiles by Jennings Heilig.

Rainbow thread starts here

More Jennings' profile here.  Scroll down to #58.

And our own Sentinel Chicken as well.

[The Big Gimper]

And here are two Messerschmitt Me P 1091A's trying to intercept a F-12A over Germany.

Drawing by Ronnie Olsthoorn aka Skyraider 3D.

[GTX_Admin]

Does anyone know if Collect-Aire ever released their 1/48 kit of the Rainbow?  It was listed as coming soon back in 2004.

Edit:  Supposedly it was proposed but never released.  Box Art was prepared though:



I wonder if moulds were ever prepared?

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Republic Rainbow in 48th scale would be nice :)

Though the prices on most of the Collectaire kits were always a bit steep that would be one to seriously consider for acquisition.  Maybe one of the multi-media concessions will see fit to offer a Rainbow in 48th scale.  We can always wish...

[elmayerle]

It's down in the remote southern stash, but I do have an example of the Griffin(?) vac-form from long ago.

[The Big Gimper]

Via Facebook. 1/48. Scratch built.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

WoW!  What a beauty!

[jcf]

That’s Bill Bosworth’s Rainbow airliner.

[The Big Gimper]

Thanks Jon. Should have noted the builder.

[finsrin]

WoW!  What a beauty!

And few more of the above