REPUBLIC XR-12 RAINBOW - World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston-Powered Aircraft

Many years ago, late 70's-early 80's a very large main landing gear washed up on Panama City Beach after a big hurricane. I remember looking at it and no one could figure out what is came from. I now realise it must have been from the 2nd aircraft. Take the fairing off the main gear and that is what I saw on the beach 40+ years ago.

I’d be willing to bet that another thing that helped to kill this plane was the R4360 itself. While considered an engineering marvel due to the fact that it was the largest and most powerful production aircraft piston engine, these guys weren’t exactly paragons of reliability. Engine failures were common. And operating costs were high. If there was ever a good selling point for more reliable jets, this was it. On the other hand, this plane was positively SCREAMING for turboprops. Just imagine this thing with four Allison T56-A-14’s from an Orion. With a boost to almost 5000HP per engine from 3000HP, this plane would have COOKED! Hell, the Orion could go 473MPH. And that’s a larger and less aerodynamic plane. On the XR12, you would probably see speeds similar to the Tupolev Bear.

My dad John Bunge, worked at Rupublic, Fairchild, Hiller, etc for 47 years. He often said it was starting to become a steady job. I worked on the last 2 years of the A-10 build. They closed the doors and I went to work for Hughes Aircraft, Microelectronics Systems Division in CA. I didnt miss the nightshift at FH. It was nice to see the sun again. The Warthog is still kicking butt!

I grew up less than 10 miles from this republic plant . It employed neighbors and extended family . It was about 10 miles from the Grumman Bethpage plant . In that section of long Island were a lot of jobs and sub contractors and making planes was what we were known for . Today it's gone and only a memory to those old enough and unknown to the millennial and younger age groups .

what a beauty

Now there’s something I never expected. This aircraft has eluded my 67 years of aviation involvement. Thanks for the enlightenment.

I hate the fact that they’d blow up or shoot up or chop up these incredible flying machines...this one in particular was a beautiful design

Interesting to note that 20 years separated the old car from the Rainbow, because 20 years after that the SR-71 was the new photo recon plane.

Kept me watching the whole video. A special event to my jaded eyes. A lot of information packed into under 19 minutes. Thanks Mike.

Great job showing a plane I've never seen. And as a kid in the 70s I researched every plane I could. Even had a autographed photo of Pappy Boyington. I'm impressed

The detail and the effort that's put into these, with all the rare imagery and found trivia, really lends these aircrafts stories a more touching aspect. Subbed.

I was not aware of this airplane; it would have been an interesting flyer with turboprops. Great video, thanks for posting.

Fantastic! I never knew this aircraft existed

A most enjoyable history lesson. Another trip down memory lane. The development of the jet engine made the post war large piston engine aircraft obsolete. As you mention all those WW2 aircraft were available for a very low price to airlines who used them until the jet became the standard engine for commercial air travel.

This is the best treatment I've seen of the beautiful Republic Rainbow. Many images not seen before and development details. Well done.

I liked the picture of the Rainbow with the C-54/DC-4 in the background. It is a little known fact that Republic almost went bankrupt in the late 1940's and had to resort to converting C-54's for airline use to keep the doors open. Another wonderful program, Mike.

Great presentation! Thanks for the briefing. The right airplane at the wrong time says it all. So many airplanes fit that description.

The British DeHavilland DH-98 Mosquito (made from plywood) first flew in November 1940 and went into service at end of 1941. The PR version did 425mph at 30,000 ft on two much smaller engines. It's successor the DH 103 Hornet did 475 mph at 21,000 ft as a fully armed fighter. A PR version would have cracked 500mph. Just like the XR-12 it never got the chance to shine because jet power was taking over.

Fascinating & well-presented video! Special thanks for NOT cluttering the sound track with pointless & distracting cheap-ass mood muzak.

I've been a military history and aviation enthusiast all my life, and even was an aircraft owner and pilot myself, and I'd never heard of the Rainbow. I knew about literally every other plane mentioned in this video, except the XR-12. I can't believe I wasn't familiar with it. But, that was a time between the end of WWII and the early 60s when hundreds of prototypes and concepts were being thrown out there and the zone was flooded with new plane designs and they quickly got rid of many of them after only a few years, even if they went into production and saw service. Thanks for bringing the story of this great plane to light. Excellent video.