IMG_7191.CR2: 30D, EF 70 – 200mm 1:4L IS @ 200mm, 1/2500, f/7.1, 400 ISO
Yes, it certainly is weird looking, isn’t it? The Seabee is an amphibious aircraft (you can see the rudder just behind the tail wheel) built during the 1940s. According to the Wikipedia article about the Seabee, Republic Aviation Company (manufacturer of the P‑47 Thunderbolt fighter) wanted a piece of the expected civilian aircraft boom after World War Two. It was thought that many of the new pilots returning from the war would want to continue flying for pleasure.
It didn’t turn out that way, however. Republic was planning to build 5000 a year, but after only two years, they shut down production after manufacturing 1060 Seabees.
I saw this one when I went to an air show of vintage aircraft at the Canada Aviation Museum last summer with Don and his son.
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