World's Fastest Multi-engine Piston Aircraft: The Story of Republic's XF-12

overscan (PaulMM)

overscan (PaulMM)

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
27 December 2005
Messages
16,463
Reaction score
19,172
World's Fastest Multi-engine Piston Aircraft: The Story of Republic's XF-12 Rainbow & the Hughes XF-11 [Hardcover]
Mike Machat (Author)

# Hardcover: 144 pages
# Publisher: Specialty Pr Pub & Wholesalers (May 15, 2011)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1580071635
# ISBN-13: 978-1580071635
 
It's about time. A long neglected aircraft will hopefully get it's due with this release.
 
overscan said:
World's Fastest Multi-engine Piston Aircraft: The Story of Republic's XF-12 Rainbow & the Hughes XF-11 [Hardcover]
Mike Machat (Author)

# Hardcover: 144 pages
# Publisher: Specialty Pr Pub & Wholesalers (May 15, 2011)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1580071635
# ISBN-13: 978-1580071635
Click to expand...
 
As always I have to say thanks for the member of this forum to call my attention to unknow and very interesting aircraft.

Thanks a lot overscan.

But one question: I've done a fast search and the XF-12 maximum speed was 756 km/h and the Hughes XF-11 was 720 hm/h ( at least from wikipedia)

But was not the Dornier do-335 faster? The dornier was capable to achieve 765 km/h.

Regards
Alcides
 
Regarding the title of fastest multi-engine piston aircraft, I immediately thought of the various Tupolevs. Using Gordon & Rigmant "OKB Tupolev" and Gunston "Tupolev Aircraft since 1926" and several other books, including Jane's, as sources I suggest the following: Tu-95 (882km/h & 890 km/h, & 910 km/h for Tu-95MS), Tu-126 (790 km/h both sources), Tu-114 (894 km/h & 880 km/h). Would they not qualify as perhaps the fastest?
 
foiling, the Tupolevs are powered by turbo-props, not by piston engines as on Republic XF-12 Rainbow & the Hughes XF-11. ;)
 
Here's a first look at the cover art; I'm sure that a larger version will be forthcoming fairly soon:
 

Attachments

  • World's Fastest Multi-Engine Piston.jpg
    World's Fastest Multi-Engine Piston.jpg
    10 KB · Views: 810
All these sad news means that here: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781580071635/Worlds-Fastest-Multi-engine-Piston-Aircraft
they do not know about “Specialty Press” shutting down?
Or this is true information?
 
This is the only one of the unpublished Specialty Press titles that is still listed on Amazon. Perhaps Specialty is going to publish this new title only?
 
gatoraptor said:
This is the only one of the unpublished Specialty Press titles that is still listed on Amazon. Perhaps Specialty is going to publish this new title only?
Click to expand...

It's possible: the author is also one of the editors at Specialty Press. Maybe not all is lost...
 
Skyraider3D said:
I'll order it the moment I hear it's confirmed not cancelled.
Click to expand...
Maybe it might help if you order it now. (I did.) The more pre-orders they get, the more likely they are to go ahead and publish the book (maybe). You really have nothing to lose; if the book is cancelled, your order will be as well.
 
I have been told that, unlike the other books, this one had already been printed before the decision was made to pull the plug; that's why it will still be available. (Though if it has already been printed, why wait until May to sell it?) ???
 
Hmm. While not by much at all, the Do 335 & DH Hornet are faster than both & the Grumman F7F is faster than the XF-11. Strange for a sort of misleading title. I hope it makes it to press regardless. I quit pre-ordering books years ago when their publication dates kept getting delayed time & time again. Finally, 2 years later (for example), it would arrive.


theponja said:
As always I have to say thanks for the member of this forum to call my attention to unknow and very interesting aircraft.

Thanks a lot overscan.

But one question: I've done a fast search and the XF-12 maximum speed was 756 km/h and the Hughes XF-11 was 720 hm/h ( at least from wikipedia)

But was not the Dornier do-335 faster? The dornier was capable to achieve 765 km/h.

Regards
Alcides
Click to expand...
 
But that would rule out the Hughes XF-11 too - or did it carry some humongous APU? Now it's more like "U.S.A.'s Fastest Multi-engine Piston Aircraft". Whereas, if they had taken the Hornet and Rainbow as subjects, they could have used the title "World's Most Beautiful Multi-engine Piston Aircraft" as well. IMHO. Would have missed out on information on the XF-11, so I am not complaining.
 
Maybe they meant the fastest cruising speed and not top speed? The XF-12 cruised at 400mph. I don't think any of the others did.
 
Um, 'multi', means more than 1, not just more than 2.


Jemiba said:
Probably the authors definition of the word "multi" is the one, you
can find in several dictionaries : "multi- : more than two ..." ;)
Click to expand...
 
Maybe, but to me, 'fastest', means just that.


Sundog said:
Maybe they meant the fastest cruising speed and not top speed? The XF-12 cruised at 400mph. I don't think any of the others did.
Click to expand...
 
Who cares - it's just a title! The important thing is that we get a new book dedicated to the Republic XF-12 and the Hughes XF-11!!!!

Regards,

Greg
 
GTX said:
Who cares - it's just a title! The important thing is that we get a new book dedicated to the Republic XF-12 and the Hughes XF-11!!!!

Regards,

Greg
Click to expand...

;D
 
The important thing is that we get a new book dedicated to the Republic XF-12 and the Hughes XF-11!!!!
Click to expand...
I could not agree more.
 
GTX said:
The important thing is that we get a new book dedicated to the Republic XF-12 and the Hughes XF-11!!!!
Click to expand...
+1!

To me, the XF-12 is The Most Beautiful Aircraft Ever Created. I hope the book does it justice, and knowing Machat's work, I'm pretty sure that it will.
 
Direct quote from Machat in an email to me: "It's looking like my book will be available in May. Tons of great photos from my Uncle's Republic collection." Steve Pace
 
I hope Mike found a better image of this picture. This is a photo of an old newspaper page I saw hanging up in Birmingham's Southern Museum of Flight. The museum's connection? Republic chief test pilot Lowery Brabham was apparently from Birmingham.
 

Attachments

  • XF-12 Airliner.JPG
    XF-12 Airliner.JPG
    28.3 KB · Views: 276
I'm hope to see any picture of the prototype No.44-91002 at the Aberdeen Proving Ground...
Sad final for masterpiece... :'(
 
Hi ...

Hughes Model D-5---XF-11
Republic Model AP-?? or Model ? ---XF-12

These information would give writing in this book?
...what can we say about this?
 
BTW, they've retitled the book:WORLD'S FASTEST FOUR-ENGINE PISTON-POWERED AIRCRAFT

 
And here's the revised cover art, which emphasizes the XF-12 at the expense of the XF-11:
 

Attachments

  • World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston.jpg
    World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston.jpg
    20.9 KB · Views: 546
The new June issue of "Air Classics" magazine has a nice excerpt from the book, along with a special introductory offer direct from the publisher.
 
The book is great, though I wish it had more of the few color photos I've seen of the Rainbow in flight.

Here is a scan of the back cover:
 

Attachments

  • World's Fastest Piston Rear.jpg
    World's Fastest Piston Rear.jpg
    280.8 KB · Views: 233
unbuilt versions, early development story or just a photoalbum...???

It's difficult to decide about ordering a book without clear info about the contents :-\
 
pometablava said:
unbuilt versions, early development story or just a photoalbum...???
Click to expand...
To some extent, it's all of those. Machat opens by describing the USAAF's photo-recon history during WW II and why a plane like the XF-12 was considered necessary. He then goes into a brief history of Seversky/Republic, including coverage of their "other" commercial attempt, the Seabee amphibian, to place the XF-12 project in proper context.

Development of the aircraft is covered in fair detail, with drawings, photos of mockups and assembly, and finally the first flight. Coverage of the rest of the flight test program follows, though I would have wished for more in-flight photos after flight 1.

A couple of chapters describe the Rainbow's competitor, the Hughes XF-11, including a description of Hughes' near-fatal crash in the first aircraft. This is followed by a description of Republic's attempt to sell the Rainbow to the airlines, with illustrations of a passenger cabin mockup and drawings of possible cabin layouts.

The only part of the book I found wanting was the color section, which mainly features magazine ads interspersed with color side-views of possible airline schemes and other military versions. Unfortunately the only color photo of a Rainbow in flight is a tiny one on the front flap of the dust jacket!
 
Thanks a lot gatoraptor. Your review is very comprehensive and helpful.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom