Converting
the Seabee
to an
Electric Twin
Shown is the original glow-powered twin designed by Bill Price of G and P Sales. Powered by two K and B 20s, with painted fuse and glassed wing, it weighed 8.5 lbs.
T
his is not one of your little foam ARF Seabees, of which there are a couple available.
a couple available. Except for a few design modifications to make it more flyable as a model (Reynolds numbers, ya know) it is a true scale of the original Republic Seabee. And with its 72-inch wing span, it is the only Seabee kit that I know of in this size.
It is one of a family of seaplanes designed by Bill Price and offered by his company G and P Sales. More on
It is one of a family of seaplanes designed by Bill Price and offered by his company G and P Sales. More on
Bill and his seaplanes on following pages.
I said it is not and ARF, but I do think of it as a “Near ARF (NARF) because it goes together so quickly. As you can see in the above photo, the fibreglass fuselage is practically finished. The floats and motor cowlings are also fibreglass with the floats already assembled to their struts. Except for retracts, paint and glue everything needed to complete the model is included in the kit along with a manual and full-size plans.
I said it is not and ARF, but I do think of it as a “Near ARF (NARF) because it goes together so quickly. As you can see in the above photo, the fibreglass fuselage is practically finished. The floats and motor cowlings are also fibreglass with the floats already assembled to their struts. Except for retracts, paint and glue everything needed to complete the model is included in the kit along with a manual and full-
Of course you can build the Seabee strictly as a seaplane. But after all, the full-scale Seabee was definitely an amphibian so G and P Sales offers a set of retracts as an option. And it is with the installation of those retracts that we begin this review.
Why Start With the Retracts?
I know that does sound like a strange way to start a review, but stay with me. Remember that this airplane was originally designed for glow power. It carried the fuel tanks directly behind
Why Start With the Retracts?
I know that does sound like a strange way to start a review, but stay with me. Remember that this airplane was originally designed for glow power. It carried the fuel tanks directly behind
Part One:
Installing the Retracts
