canceled when this flight was made. On 7 November 1948, the second prototype crashed while returning to Eglin Air Force Base from a photographic suitability test flight after the number 2 (port inner) engine exploded, causing violent buffeting. Five of the seven crew escaped safely while two crew members were killed. The first prototype continued flight testing after being returned to service in 1948 but with no orders forthcoming and with the second prototype lost, flight testing was wound down and the remaining prototype was retired in June 1952, having flown just 117 hours from 1949–1952. It was later expended as a target at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. RC-2 Republic intended to build an airliner version as the RC-2. This was to be lengthened to with a fuselage plug ahead of the wing and the Plexiglas nose replaced with a conventional nose. Pratt & Whitney R-4360-59s with only one General Electric turbosupercharger each would have replaced the R-4360-31s to provide more power at lower altitudes and fuel capacity would have been increased. The seven crew and 46 passengers would have enjoyed a lavishly appointed cabin that was pressurized to sea level with air conditioning, and served hot meals from an electric galley, and drinks from an inflight lounge. It would have cruised above the weather at at . Without military orders subsidizing development and tooling costs, the RC-2's purchase price would have been high, and American Airlines and Pan-Am cancelled their tentative orders. The RC-2 also would have had higher operating costs per passenger than more capacious airliners with similar fuel consumption such as the Lockheed Constellation and the Douglas DC-6. Additionally, the end of the war created a glut of surplus military transports such as the Douglas C-54 Skymaster which could be readily converted for airline service for a fraction of the cost of new aircraft. Republic cancelled its plans, and none were built. Specifications (XF-12) See also References Citations Bibliography F-012 Republic F-12 Four-engined tractor aircraft Cancelled military aircraft projects of the United States Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1946 Four-engined piston aircraft Mid-wing aircraft