C-123 Provider
Unanswered Questions
Encyclopedia
The C-123 Provider was an American
military transport aircraft
designed by Chase Aircraft
and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force
. In addition to its USAF service, which included later service with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard
, it also went on to serve most notably with the United States Coast Guard
and various air forces in South East Asia. During the Vietnam War, the aircraft was used to spray Agent Orange
.
aircraft for the United States Air Force
(USAF) by Chase Aircraft
as the XCG-20
(Chase designation MS-8 Avitruc) Two powered variants of the XCG-20 were developed during the early 1950s, as the XC-123 and XC-123A
. The only difference between the two was the type of engines used. The XC-123 used two Pratt & Whitney R-2800
-23 air-cooled radial piston engines, while the XC-123A was fitted with four General Electric J47
-GE-11 turbojets, in two pods. The XC-123A also has the distinction, while only experimental, of being the USAF first jet-powered military transport. While the piston-powered XC-123 was initially well regarded for tactical transport for its ruggedness and reliability and ability to operate from short and unimproved airstrips, the turbojet-powered XC-123A - designed for high-speed transport between USAF bases for critical parts and personnel - was found unable to operate from short and rough airstrips. There was also no practical speed advantage due to the wing and fuselage design, and a drastic reduction in range. Only the one turbojet-powered test and evaluation version was built.
By 1953, Henry J. Kaiser
purchased a majority share in Chase Aircraft, feeling that after having completed C-119s for Fairchild under contract, he could take control of the impending C-123 contract. Two airframes were completed at Kaiser's Willow Run
factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan
, before personal politics led to Kaiser's being told that no further contracts with him would be honored. The C-123 contract was put up for bid, and the two completed airframes scrapped. The contract was finally awarded to Fairchild Engine and Airplane, who assumed production of the former Chase C-123B, a refined version of the XC-123. Before turning production over to Fairchild, Chase originally named their C-123B the AVITRUC but it never stuck.
(USCG) who used the aircraft for search and rescue missions, and even the US Air Force Demonstration Team, the "Thunderbirds
," would use C-123s for a time. The type would also be widely exported under various US military assistance programs, directly from USAF stocks.
The aircraft was nearly ignored by the USAF for service in Vietnam, but a political rivalry with the US Army
and the Army's use of the CV-2 Caribou
and later pre-production order for the C-8 Buffalo, led to a decision to deploy C-123s there. To compete with the well-performing CV-2, the USAF and Fairchild furthered development on the C-123 to allow it to do similar work on short runways. This additional development increased the utility of the aircraft and its variants to allow it to perform a number of unique tasks, including the HC-123B which operated with the USCG fitted with additional radar equipment for search and rescue missions through 1971, and the C-123J which were fitted with retractable skis for operations in Greenland
and Alaska
on compacted snow runways.
By 1962, the C-123K variant aircraft was evaluated for operations in Southeast Asia and their stellar performance led the Air Force to upgrade 180 of the C-123B aircraft to the new C-123K standard, which featured auxiliary jet pods underneath the wings, and anti-skid brakes. In 1968, the aircraft helped resupply troops in Khe Sanh
, Vietnam
during a three-month siege by North Vietnam
.
A number of C-123s were configured as VIP transports, including General William Westmoreland
's White Whale. The C-123 also gained notoriety for its use in "Operation Ranch Hand
" defoliation operations in Vietnam. Oddly enough, the USAF had officially chosen not to procure the VC-123C VIP transport, opting instead for the Convair VC-131D
.
The first C-123s to reach South Vietnam were part of the USAF's Special Aerial Spray Flight, as part of Operation Ranch Hand tasked with defoliating the jungle in order to deny rebels their traditional hiding places. These aircraft began their operations at the end of 1961. Aircraft fitted with spraying equipment were given the U prefix as a role modifier, with the most common types being the UC-123B and the UC-123K. Aircraft configured for this use were the last to see military service, in the control of outbreaks of insect-borne disease. The C-123 was also used as "jump aircraft" for U.S. Army Airborne students located at Lawson Army Airfield
, Fort Benning, Georgia in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This aircraft was used in conjunction with the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Lockheed C-141 Starlifter.
With the end of the Vietnam War
, remaining C-123Ks and UC-123Ks were transferred to Air Force Reserve (AFRES) and the Air National Guard
(ANG) that were operationally-gained by Tactical Air Command
(TAC) prior to 1975 and Military Airlift Command
(MAC) after 1975.
The 302nd Tactical Airlift Wing
at Rickenbacker AFB (later Rickenbacker ANGB), Ohio flew the last UC-123Ks Providers in operational service before converting to the C-130 Hercules
. Known as the Special Spray Flight, these aircraft were used to control insect-borne diseases, with missions to Alaska, South America and Guam being among the humanitarian duties performed by this Air Force Reserve unit.
The final examples of the C-123 in active US military service were retired from the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard
in the early 1980s. Some airframes were transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) for test and evaluation programs while others were transferred to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for miscellaneous programs. These aircraft were also retired by the end of the 1990s.
(BLC) system fitted. This system directs air from the engines at high speed over the top of the wing, making the wing act as if the aircraft is flying at a much lower airspeed. As a result, the YC-123D had a greatly reduced take-off and landing distance. Compared to the C-123B, the YC-123D could land in 755 feet instead of 1,200, and take-off with only 850 ft of runway instead of 1,950, with a 50,000 lb total weight.
In 1955, Stroukoff, under contract from the USAF, produced a single YC-123E
, designed to be able to take off from any surface, and also equipped with BLC. The new aircraft also featured Stroukoff's Pantobase system, combining a ski system with a sealed fuselage and wing mounted floats, while retaining its normal landing gear. The skis worked both on snow and water, and the system effectively allowed the aircraft to land on water, land, snow or ice.
In 1956, the USAF awarded a contract to Fairchild to design an improved version of the C-123 under the designation C-136, but the contract was cancelled before the aircraft was built.
At much the same time the YC-123H was under development, the product of a Fairchild modification program started in 1956 and completed in 1957. A "Jet Augmentation Program" for existing C-123Bs had been initiated in 1955 at the behest of the USAF, and in the YC-123H contract the USAF expanded it to allow the mounting of two pod-mounted General Electric J85
turbojets. Perhaps more impressive was the new wide-track main landing gear, noticeable since the larger gear and tires required the removal of the landing gear doors. The new gear reduced the aircraft's turning radius and improved the Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) of the aircraft, along with being rugged enough to stand up to unimproved runways, all important factors for the C-123's mission profile. Testing both in the United States and in South Vietnam continued until the YC-123H crashed in an accident in 1963. However, many of the design improvements were carried over to the C-123K.
In 1979, the Royal Thai government, seeking to extend the life of their C-123 fleet, placed a contract with the Mancro Aircraft Company, supported by the USAF, to convert a single C-123B to turboprop
powerplants. Allison T56-A-7 turboprops were used and by the time the aircraft, dubbed C-123T, was complete it had new "wet"
wings, an auxiliary power unit
(APU) to assist with power movement of the control surfaces, and a heating system for the cargo compartments that also fed a new deicing system. Budgetary restrictions forced the Thai government to abandon the program in 1981, and with a lack of interested parties development of the C-123T stopped. However, it concluded the life of the C-123 by making it the only aircraft type to operate under jet, internal combustion and turboprop engine power, and as a glider, during its history.
The C-123T has recently been revived by a joint venture between the US-based Fleetwings Aircraft Company and the South African company Elmer Group. In 2010, they announced a project to initially remanufacture old airframes for African customers and, where there was demand, to build new aircraft. The airframes would be fitted with new turboprop Rolls-Royce T56-A-15 engines, a glass cockpit and other enhancements. The proposed C-123T would have had a 25,000 lb payload capability, and a take-off run of just over 1,000 ft at 50,000 lb MTOW. Possible applications included maritime patrol, search and rescue, and even use as a gunship, while roll-on packages have already been developed for mid-air refuelling and agricultural applications.
s such as the AC-47
and AC-119G
were more numerous. These aircraft, operating under the call-sign Candle were flown by the USAF's 14th Special Operations Wing
.
A single C-123B was tested as a possible replacement for the Candle aircraft, with its rear loading ramp removed and replaced with a large box with 28 large lights. The aircraft could continuously light a two-mile circle from an altitude of 12,000 ft. This aircraft, under the provisional designation NC-123B was dropped because the lights, fixed to the aircraft, made it far easier for enemy gunners to track compared to the earlier flare ships.
The "Candle" aircraft had an extended life when several UC-123K's were transferred to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base
in Thailand
. During that period, it was used as a flare ship as well as a forward air control
(FAC) aircraft. The flare duties were generally used for troops in contact (TIC) while the FAC mission directed air strikes in Laos
over the Ho Chi Minh trail
.
Another NC-123B was used as a radio relay aircraft over the Ho Chi Minh trail, with equipment to read the signals from various sensors on the ground designed to pick up enemy truck activity.
Two C-123K aircraft modified in September 1965 under Project Black Spot. The Black Spot aircraft were to fit under the "self-contained night attack capability" that was Operation Shed Light's primary focus and E-Systems of Greenville, Texas
was contracted to complete the modifications. These aircraft featured a variety of new sensors including Low Light Level TV (LLLTV), Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), and a laser rangefinder. The aircraft looked radically different visibly from its transport brethren, as the new equipment required lengthening the nose by over 50 inches. The aircraft also featured an armament system designed to carry BLU-3/B (using the ADU-253/B adapter) or BLU-26/B (using the ADU-272/B adapter) bomblets
, or CBU-68/B cluster bomb
s.
The two aircraft, AF Serial Numbers 54-0691 and 54-0698, were first designated NC-123K in 1968 and then redesignated AC-123K in 1969. These NC/AC-123Ks were first deployed operationally at Osan AB
, South Korea
between August and October 1968, and flying in support of operations against North Korea
n infiltrators approaching by boat. The operations in Korea met with a certain level of success and as a result the NC/AC-123Ks were transferred to South Vietnam in November 1968. The aircraft operated there until January 1969, when they were redeployed to Ubon RTAB
, Thailand
. The two aircraft were then returned to the United States to Hurlburt Field
, Florida
in May 1969, where a second round of training occurred. Four crews attended a ground school in Greenville, Texas and returned to Hurlburt where they flew the aircraft for the first time.
The fate of the aircraft is still unclear. Sources have missions terminating in early July 1970 and the aircraft flying to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC) "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB
, AZ, where they were returned to C-123K standard, then returned to South Vietnam still wearing their camouflage and black undersides for transport duty. However, the official history states that combat operations ceased on 11 May 1969, with no mention of the second deployment. While the second deployment is mentioned in associated documentation, the only dates are of the arrival in Thailand and there is no information as to when they departed or where their destination was.
On 1 February 1964, the overall control of South Star II was transferred from CIA to Studies and Observations Group(SOG), as part of US Military Assistance Command Vietnam(MACV) in Saigon. The outfit was redesignated as Det. 1 of USAF's 75th Troop Carrier Squadron(TCS), but within SOG was known as the First Flight Detachment(FFD).
In May 1964, under Project Duck Hook, 6 more C-123s were obtained for the secret Taiwanese Black Bat outfit operating in South Vietnam, with heavy modifications done by Lockheed Air Service at Ontario, CA, with ATIR and BSTR ECM package, ASN-25 Doppler navigation system, APN-153 terrain-following radar, a console station for radio operator, new HF radio and other radios. IN October, MACV, CIA and ROCAF/Taiwan signed the South Star III agreement to continue the operation in Vietnam. The 6 Duck Hook C-123Bs were based in Nha Trang, north of Cam Ranh Bay, officially designated as USAF Det. 12 of 1131 Special Activities Squadron. The Duck Hook C-123Bs were updated with RDR-10 weather radar and ARN-131 homing receiver in 1966 in order to perform missions over Ho Chi Minh trail. All C-123Bs were converted to C-123Ks in 1968, with 2 wing-mounte turbjets, plus ECM upgrade with APR-25 radar warning receiver and ALE-1 chaff dispenser. Project Duck Hook designation was changed to Heavy Hook. The unit at Nha Trang as Det. 12 of 1131 Special Activities Squadron received an outstanding unit award from USAF, for flow 4,000 classified combat and combat support missions from June 1966 to May 1968.
In May 1970s, Black Bats' C-123Ks supported the secret US military incursion into Cambodia. In October 1970, flights into Laos began. March 1972, the SOG was deactivated, and the Southern Star operation ended with 4 surviving C-123Ks returned to Taiwan. And on 1 March 1973, 34th "Black Bat" Squadron of ROCAF/Taiwan was disbanded.
Airport in El Salvador
loaded with 70 AK-47
rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition, rocket grenades and other supplies. It flew along the coastline of Nicaragua
and entered Nicaraguan airspace near the border with Costa Rica
. Nearing San Carlos, the plane descended to 2,500 feet while preparing to drop off its cargo to Contra
fighters. While conducting the drop, it was shot down by a Sandinista soldier, using a SA-7 Grail. CIA pilots Wallace "Buzz" Sawyer and William Cooper were killed in the crash. Loadmaster Eugene Hasenfus
parachuted to safety and was taken prisoner. He was later released in December 1986.
polychlorinated dibenzodioxin, studies since confirmed by the Oregon Health Sciences University. The aircraft which were flown from 1972–1982, were assigned to the Air Force Reserve after their service in Vietnam, and used for normal cargo and aeromedical evacuation missions. Air Crews accumulated hundreds of flight hours aboard several contaminated aircraft that were often flown with the windows open due to the smell and eye irritation. Memos surfaced showing that Air Force JAG officers recommended keeping the toxicity information "within official channels." Further, Carter located Air Force reports of dioxin-contaminated aircraft sold abroad, and of one used at the Robin AFB, GA Museum of Aviation with public access to the contaminated surfaces of the aircraft. In 2010, due to concerns about dioxin contamination, the Air Force took the unusual step of shredding all the remaining surplus C-123K/UC-123K aircraft and melting the scraps into ingots for disposal.
On 9 June 2011 the Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General opted to reject Carter's complaints, and in a subsequent message explained "Unfortunately we do not have the ability to identify or notify the individuals in the categories you mention" when asked if the military would alert the aircrews regarding their exposure to dioxin. On 18 June 2011 the veterans' complaint was refiled with the Department of Defense Inspector General, adding the request that the UC-123K aircraft themselves be designated by the Secretary of Defense as "Agent Orange Exposure Sites".
Chase XC-123
Chase XC-123A
C-123B
UC-123B
VC-123C
Stroukoff YC-123D
Stroukoff YC-123E
YC-123H
C-123J
C-123K
AC-123K/NC-123K
C-123T
HC-123B
UC-123K
VC-123K
Stroukoff YC-134
YC-136
(Taiwan
)
South Vietnam
Museum examples of C-123s include those located at:
Several other examples of C-123s remain in an active flying status, operated by private owners in the United States or by various air forces worldwide.
and Air America
. Each of these aircraft was previously used for spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam, and sold by the Air Force - General Services Administration before precautions were established to prohibit the surplus sale of such toxic aircraft.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...
designed by Chase Aircraft
Chase Aircraft
The Chase Aircraft Company, founded in 1943, was an aircraft manufacturer of the United States of America, primarily constructing gliders and military transport aircraft. Lacking space for expansion, the company was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser in 1951. Plans to produce the C-123 transport for the...
and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. In addition to its USAF service, which included later service with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
, it also went on to serve most notably with the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
and various air forces in South East Asia. During the Vietnam War, the aircraft was used to spray Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
.
Design and development
The C-123 Provider was designed originally as an assault gliderMilitary glider
Military gliders have been used by the military of various countries for carrying troops and heavy equipment to a combat zone, mainly during the Second World War. These engineless aircraft were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by military transport planes, e.g...
aircraft for the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) by Chase Aircraft
Chase Aircraft
The Chase Aircraft Company, founded in 1943, was an aircraft manufacturer of the United States of America, primarily constructing gliders and military transport aircraft. Lacking space for expansion, the company was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser in 1951. Plans to produce the C-123 transport for the...
as the XCG-20
Chase XCG-20
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
(Chase designation MS-8 Avitruc) Two powered variants of the XCG-20 were developed during the early 1950s, as the XC-123 and XC-123A
Chase XC-123A
-See also:-External links:* Popular Science, July 1951, bottom of page 81...
. The only difference between the two was the type of engines used. The XC-123 used two Pratt & Whitney R-2800
Pratt & Whitney R-2800
The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is a two-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of 2,804 in³ , and is part of the long-lived Wasp family....
-23 air-cooled radial piston engines, while the XC-123A was fitted with four General Electric J47
General Electric J47
|-Specifications :-Nuclear-powered version – The X39:In the 1950s, interest in the development of nuclear-powered aircraft led GE to experiment with two nuclear-powered gas turbine designs, one based on the J47, and another new and much larger engine called the X211.The design based on the J47...
-GE-11 turbojets, in two pods. The XC-123A also has the distinction, while only experimental, of being the USAF first jet-powered military transport. While the piston-powered XC-123 was initially well regarded for tactical transport for its ruggedness and reliability and ability to operate from short and unimproved airstrips, the turbojet-powered XC-123A - designed for high-speed transport between USAF bases for critical parts and personnel - was found unable to operate from short and rough airstrips. There was also no practical speed advantage due to the wing and fuselage design, and a drastic reduction in range. Only the one turbojet-powered test and evaluation version was built.
By 1953, Henry J. Kaiser
Henry J. Kaiser
Henry John Kaiser was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. He established the Kaiser Shipyard which built Liberty ships during World War II, after which he formed Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel. Kaiser organized Kaiser Permanente health care...
purchased a majority share in Chase Aircraft, feeling that after having completed C-119s for Fairchild under contract, he could take control of the impending C-123 contract. Two airframes were completed at Kaiser's Willow Run
Willow Run
The Willow Run manufacturing plant, located between Ypsilanti and Belleville, Michigan, was constructed during World War II by Ford Motor Company for the mass production of the B-24 Liberator military aircraft....
factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
, before personal politics led to Kaiser's being told that no further contracts with him would be honored. The C-123 contract was put up for bid, and the two completed airframes scrapped. The contract was finally awarded to Fairchild Engine and Airplane, who assumed production of the former Chase C-123B, a refined version of the XC-123. Before turning production over to Fairchild, Chase originally named their C-123B the AVITRUC but it never stuck.
Operational history
The first recipients of C-123 aircraft would be USAF transport units, soon followed by the United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
(USCG) who used the aircraft for search and rescue missions, and even the US Air Force Demonstration Team, the "Thunderbirds
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds are the air demonstration squadron of the U.S. Air Force , based at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. The squadron tours the United States and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially marked USAF jet aircraft...
," would use C-123s for a time. The type would also be widely exported under various US military assistance programs, directly from USAF stocks.
The aircraft was nearly ignored by the USAF for service in Vietnam, but a political rivalry with the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the Army's use of the CV-2 Caribou
De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou is a Canadian-designed and produced specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing capability...
and later pre-production order for the C-8 Buffalo, led to a decision to deploy C-123s there. To compete with the well-performing CV-2, the USAF and Fairchild furthered development on the C-123 to allow it to do similar work on short runways. This additional development increased the utility of the aircraft and its variants to allow it to perform a number of unique tasks, including the HC-123B which operated with the USCG fitted with additional radar equipment for search and rescue missions through 1971, and the C-123J which were fitted with retractable skis for operations in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
on compacted snow runways.
By 1962, the C-123K variant aircraft was evaluated for operations in Southeast Asia and their stellar performance led the Air Force to upgrade 180 of the C-123B aircraft to the new C-123K standard, which featured auxiliary jet pods underneath the wings, and anti-skid brakes. In 1968, the aircraft helped resupply troops in Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh is the district capital of Hướng Hoá District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, located 63 km west of Đông Hà.Khe Sanh Combat Base was a United States Marine Corps outpost in South Vietnam used during the Vietnam War. The airstrip was built in September 1962...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during a three-month siege by North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
.
A number of C-123s were configured as VIP transports, including General William Westmoreland
William Westmoreland
William Childs Westmoreland was a United States Army General, who commanded US military operations in the Vietnam War at its peak , during the Tet Offensive. He adopted a strategy of attrition against the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam and the North Vietnamese Army. He later served as...
's White Whale. The C-123 also gained notoriety for its use in "Operation Ranch Hand
Operation Ranch Hand
Operation Ranch Hand was a U.S. Military operation during the Vietnam War, lasting from 1962 until 1971. It was part of the overall herbicidal warfare program during the war called "Operation Trail Dust"...
" defoliation operations in Vietnam. Oddly enough, the USAF had officially chosen not to procure the VC-123C VIP transport, opting instead for the Convair VC-131D
C-131 Samaritan
The Convair C-131 Samaritan was an American military transport produced from 1954 to 1956. It is the military version of the Convair CV-240.-Design and development:...
.
The first C-123s to reach South Vietnam were part of the USAF's Special Aerial Spray Flight, as part of Operation Ranch Hand tasked with defoliating the jungle in order to deny rebels their traditional hiding places. These aircraft began their operations at the end of 1961. Aircraft fitted with spraying equipment were given the U prefix as a role modifier, with the most common types being the UC-123B and the UC-123K. Aircraft configured for this use were the last to see military service, in the control of outbreaks of insect-borne disease. The C-123 was also used as "jump aircraft" for U.S. Army Airborne students located at Lawson Army Airfield
Lawson Army Airfield
Lawson Army Airfield is a military airport located at Fort Benning in Chattahoochee County, Georgia, south of the city of Columbus, Georgia. It is Fort Benning's primary Force Projection Platform.- Facilities :Lawson Army Airfield has one runway:...
, Fort Benning, Georgia in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This aircraft was used in conjunction with the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Lockheed C-141 Starlifter.
With the end of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, remaining C-123Ks and UC-123Ks were transferred to Air Force Reserve (AFRES) and the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
(ANG) that were operationally-gained by Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC) prior to 1975 and Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
(MAC) after 1975.
The 302nd Tactical Airlift Wing
302d Airlift Wing
The 302nd Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve based out of Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Mission:...
at Rickenbacker AFB (later Rickenbacker ANGB), Ohio flew the last UC-123Ks Providers in operational service before converting to the C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
. Known as the Special Spray Flight, these aircraft were used to control insect-borne diseases, with missions to Alaska, South America and Guam being among the humanitarian duties performed by this Air Force Reserve unit.
The final examples of the C-123 in active US military service were retired from the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
in the early 1980s. Some airframes were transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA) for test and evaluation programs while others were transferred to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for miscellaneous programs. These aircraft were also retired by the end of the 1990s.
Experimental projects
In 1954, the YC-123D, formerly the XC-123A prototype, flew in its modified state after being converted by Stroukoff Aircraft. While the most obvious change from the original XC-123A was the switch of engines, the YC-123D also had a Boundary layer controlBoundary layer control
Boundary layer control refers to methods of controlling the behaviour of fluid flow boundary layers. This holds particular interest in aeronautical engineering because drag may be reduced whilst achieving high lift ....
(BLC) system fitted. This system directs air from the engines at high speed over the top of the wing, making the wing act as if the aircraft is flying at a much lower airspeed. As a result, the YC-123D had a greatly reduced take-off and landing distance. Compared to the C-123B, the YC-123D could land in 755 feet instead of 1,200, and take-off with only 850 ft of runway instead of 1,950, with a 50,000 lb total weight.
In 1955, Stroukoff, under contract from the USAF, produced a single YC-123E
Stroukoff YC-134
-See also:...
, designed to be able to take off from any surface, and also equipped with BLC. The new aircraft also featured Stroukoff's Pantobase system, combining a ski system with a sealed fuselage and wing mounted floats, while retaining its normal landing gear. The skis worked both on snow and water, and the system effectively allowed the aircraft to land on water, land, snow or ice.
In 1956, the USAF awarded a contract to Fairchild to design an improved version of the C-123 under the designation C-136, but the contract was cancelled before the aircraft was built.
At much the same time the YC-123H was under development, the product of a Fairchild modification program started in 1956 and completed in 1957. A "Jet Augmentation Program" for existing C-123Bs had been initiated in 1955 at the behest of the USAF, and in the YC-123H contract the USAF expanded it to allow the mounting of two pod-mounted General Electric J85
General Electric J85
-External links:**...
turbojets. Perhaps more impressive was the new wide-track main landing gear, noticeable since the larger gear and tires required the removal of the landing gear doors. The new gear reduced the aircraft's turning radius and improved the Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) of the aircraft, along with being rugged enough to stand up to unimproved runways, all important factors for the C-123's mission profile. Testing both in the United States and in South Vietnam continued until the YC-123H crashed in an accident in 1963. However, many of the design improvements were carried over to the C-123K.
In 1979, the Royal Thai government, seeking to extend the life of their C-123 fleet, placed a contract with the Mancro Aircraft Company, supported by the USAF, to convert a single C-123B to turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
powerplants. Allison T56-A-7 turboprops were used and by the time the aircraft, dubbed C-123T, was complete it had new "wet"
Fuel tank
A fuel tank is safe container for flammable fluids. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and propelled or released into an engine...
wings, an auxiliary power unit
Auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft, as well as some large land vehicles.-Function:...
(APU) to assist with power movement of the control surfaces, and a heating system for the cargo compartments that also fed a new deicing system. Budgetary restrictions forced the Thai government to abandon the program in 1981, and with a lack of interested parties development of the C-123T stopped. However, it concluded the life of the C-123 by making it the only aircraft type to operate under jet, internal combustion and turboprop engine power, and as a glider, during its history.
The C-123T has recently been revived by a joint venture between the US-based Fleetwings Aircraft Company and the South African company Elmer Group. In 2010, they announced a project to initially remanufacture old airframes for African customers and, where there was demand, to build new aircraft. The airframes would be fitted with new turboprop Rolls-Royce T56-A-15 engines, a glass cockpit and other enhancements. The proposed C-123T would have had a 25,000 lb payload capability, and a take-off run of just over 1,000 ft at 50,000 lb MTOW. Possible applications included maritime patrol, search and rescue, and even use as a gunship, while roll-on packages have already been developed for mid-air refuelling and agricultural applications.
Black Spot and other special military C-123s
During the Vietnam War, a number of C-123s were modified for specialized roles. Most of these modifications were on a one- or two-aircraft level. Only the usage of C-123s as "flare ships" to illuminate targets for fixed wing gunshipGunship
The term "gunship" is used in several contexts, all sharing the general idea of a light craft armed with heavy guns.-In Navy:In the Navy, the term originally appeared in the mid-19th century as a less-common synonym for gunboat.-In military aviation:...
s such as the AC-47
AC-47 Spooky
The Douglas AC-47 Spooky was the first in a series of gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War...
and AC-119G
Fairchild AC-119
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Hobson, Chris. "Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973." North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. ISBN 1-85780-1156....
were more numerous. These aircraft, operating under the call-sign Candle were flown by the USAF's 14th Special Operations Wing
14th Flying Training Wing
The 14th Flying Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.-Mission:...
.
The "Candle" aircraft had an extended life when several UC-123K's were transferred to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base
Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base
Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base , formerly Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, is a Royal Thai Navy facility used for riverine patrols along the Mekong River. It is located approximately 365 miles northeast of Bangkok, 9 miles west of Nakhon Phanom city in Nakhon Phanom Province in the...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. During that period, it was used as a flare ship as well as a forward air control
Forward air control
Forward air control is the provision of guidance to Close Air Support aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller . For NATO forces the qualifications and experience required to be...
(FAC) aircraft. The flare duties were generally used for troops in contact (TIC) while the FAC mission directed air strikes in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
over the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
.
Another NC-123B was used as a radio relay aircraft over the Ho Chi Minh trail, with equipment to read the signals from various sensors on the ground designed to pick up enemy truck activity.
Two C-123K aircraft modified in September 1965 under Project Black Spot. The Black Spot aircraft were to fit under the "self-contained night attack capability" that was Operation Shed Light's primary focus and E-Systems of Greenville, Texas
Greenville, Texas
Greenville is the county seat, and the largest city, of Hunt County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557....
was contracted to complete the modifications. These aircraft featured a variety of new sensors including Low Light Level TV (LLLTV), Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), and a laser rangefinder. The aircraft looked radically different visibly from its transport brethren, as the new equipment required lengthening the nose by over 50 inches. The aircraft also featured an armament system designed to carry BLU-3/B (using the ADU-253/B adapter) or BLU-26/B (using the ADU-272/B adapter) bomblets
Cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
, or CBU-68/B cluster bomb
Cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
s.
The two aircraft, AF Serial Numbers 54-0691 and 54-0698, were first designated NC-123K in 1968 and then redesignated AC-123K in 1969. These NC/AC-123Ks were first deployed operationally at Osan AB
Osan Air Base
Osan Air Base , is a United States Air Force facility located in the Songtan section of Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, south of Seoul. Despite its name, Osan AB is not within Osan City, which is to the north. The base is the home of the Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
between August and October 1968, and flying in support of operations against North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n infiltrators approaching by boat. The operations in Korea met with a certain level of success and as a result the NC/AC-123Ks were transferred to South Vietnam in November 1968. The aircraft operated there until January 1969, when they were redeployed to Ubon RTAB
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility and is the home of Wing 21 of the RTAF 2nd Air Division. It is located in East-Central Thailand, near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in the Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 305 miles North-East of Bangkok...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The two aircraft were then returned to the United States to Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in May 1969, where a second round of training occurred. Four crews attended a ground school in Greenville, Texas and returned to Hurlburt where they flew the aircraft for the first time.
The fate of the aircraft is still unclear. Sources have missions terminating in early July 1970 and the aircraft flying to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC) "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
, AZ, where they were returned to C-123K standard, then returned to South Vietnam still wearing their camouflage and black undersides for transport duty. However, the official history states that combat operations ceased on 11 May 1969, with no mention of the second deployment. While the second deployment is mentioned in associated documentation, the only dates are of the arrival in Thailand and there is no information as to when they departed or where their destination was.
Southeast Asia
In 1962, the CIA acquired 5 C-123Bs from USAF for Air America to be used in Laos and Vietnam, and another 5 C-123Bs to be used by ROCAF/Taiwan's top secret 34th Squadron, a Black Ops units called the "Black Bat", as Flight B section(Flight A section is the 2 P2V-2U/RB-69A). The 5 Taiwan C-123Bs were sent to Lockheed Skunk Works for modifications as covert insertion aircraft with 'smart' air to air jammer, BSTR system to jam the radars of ground anti-aircraft guns, also added a defensive operator's station to operate the jammers on board, with extra fuel in underwing tanks, with 36 Taiwanese crew finished training courses at Pope AFB by November 1962. The 5 ROCAF/Taiwan/CIA C-123Bs would be used over North Vietnam as low level and nighttime covert airdrop aircraft, under the South Star II agreement, under the guise of Taiwan's national airline, China Airline, which had "cover story" of operating Vietnamese Air Transport(VIAT) in South Vietnam, that was formerly operated by Air America. The secret outfit was based in Saigon, but would fly out of Da Nang for airdrop missions going into North Vietnam, with some were 14 hours long missions.On 1 February 1964, the overall control of South Star II was transferred from CIA to Studies and Observations Group(SOG), as part of US Military Assistance Command Vietnam(MACV) in Saigon. The outfit was redesignated as Det. 1 of USAF's 75th Troop Carrier Squadron(TCS), but within SOG was known as the First Flight Detachment(FFD).
In May 1964, under Project Duck Hook, 6 more C-123s were obtained for the secret Taiwanese Black Bat outfit operating in South Vietnam, with heavy modifications done by Lockheed Air Service at Ontario, CA, with ATIR and BSTR ECM package, ASN-25 Doppler navigation system, APN-153 terrain-following radar, a console station for radio operator, new HF radio and other radios. IN October, MACV, CIA and ROCAF/Taiwan signed the South Star III agreement to continue the operation in Vietnam. The 6 Duck Hook C-123Bs were based in Nha Trang, north of Cam Ranh Bay, officially designated as USAF Det. 12 of 1131 Special Activities Squadron. The Duck Hook C-123Bs were updated with RDR-10 weather radar and ARN-131 homing receiver in 1966 in order to perform missions over Ho Chi Minh trail. All C-123Bs were converted to C-123Ks in 1968, with 2 wing-mounte turbjets, plus ECM upgrade with APR-25 radar warning receiver and ALE-1 chaff dispenser. Project Duck Hook designation was changed to Heavy Hook. The unit at Nha Trang as Det. 12 of 1131 Special Activities Squadron received an outstanding unit award from USAF, for flow 4,000 classified combat and combat support missions from June 1966 to May 1968.
In May 1970s, Black Bats' C-123Ks supported the secret US military incursion into Cambodia. In October 1970, flights into Laos began. March 1972, the SOG was deactivated, and the Southern Star operation ended with 4 surviving C-123Ks returned to Taiwan. And on 1 March 1973, 34th "Black Bat" Squadron of ROCAF/Taiwan was disbanded.
Central America
On 5 October 1986 a Corporate Air Services C-123 Provider (HPF821, previously N4410F and USAF 54-679, (c/n 20128)) departed San Salvador-IlopangoIlopango
Ilopango is a town in the San Salvador department of El Salvador. It is a few miles east of the nation's capital, San Salvador. It is located near Lake Ilopango, the country's largest lake at 72 square kilometers....
Airport in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
loaded with 70 AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition, rocket grenades and other supplies. It flew along the coastline of Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
and entered Nicaraguan airspace near the border with Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. Nearing San Carlos, the plane descended to 2,500 feet while preparing to drop off its cargo to Contra
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
fighters. While conducting the drop, it was shot down by a Sandinista soldier, using a SA-7 Grail. CIA pilots Wallace "Buzz" Sawyer and William Cooper were killed in the crash. Loadmaster Eugene Hasenfus
Eugene Hasenfus
Eugene H. Hasenfus is a United States citizen who was alleged by Nicaragua Sandinista authorities to be employed by the U.S...
parachuted to safety and was taken prisoner. He was later released in December 1986.
Agent Orange controversy
In 2011, a retired Air Force officer Major Wesley T. Carter filed a complaint with the Air Force Inspector General alleging that the Air Force knew that UC-123Ks used for spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam remained contaminated and that the Air Force had failed to properly inform flight crews of the risks. In his complaint, Major Carter contends that the Air Force has known since 1994 that the aircraft were contaminated with the defoliant; he cites the fact that when a former C-123 was being prepared for a static display that workers had to use HAZMAT suits and respirators. Additionally, it is asserted that when the aircraft was tested by the Air Force, it contained high levels of the known carcinogenCarcinogen
A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes...
polychlorinated dibenzodioxin, studies since confirmed by the Oregon Health Sciences University. The aircraft which were flown from 1972–1982, were assigned to the Air Force Reserve after their service in Vietnam, and used for normal cargo and aeromedical evacuation missions. Air Crews accumulated hundreds of flight hours aboard several contaminated aircraft that were often flown with the windows open due to the smell and eye irritation. Memos surfaced showing that Air Force JAG officers recommended keeping the toxicity information "within official channels." Further, Carter located Air Force reports of dioxin-contaminated aircraft sold abroad, and of one used at the Robin AFB, GA Museum of Aviation with public access to the contaminated surfaces of the aircraft. In 2010, due to concerns about dioxin contamination, the Air Force took the unusual step of shredding all the remaining surplus C-123K/UC-123K aircraft and melting the scraps into ingots for disposal.
On 9 June 2011 the Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General opted to reject Carter's complaints, and in a subsequent message explained "Unfortunately we do not have the ability to identify or notify the individuals in the categories you mention" when asked if the military would alert the aircrews regarding their exposure to dioxin. On 18 June 2011 the veterans' complaint was refiled with the Department of Defense Inspector General, adding the request that the UC-123K aircraft themselves be designated by the Secretary of Defense as "Agent Orange Exposure Sites".
Variants
Chase XCG-20Chase XCG-20
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
- Two prototype all-metal troop transport gliders built by Chase AircraftChase AircraftThe Chase Aircraft Company, founded in 1943, was an aircraft manufacturer of the United States of America, primarily constructing gliders and military transport aircraft. Lacking space for expansion, the company was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser in 1951. Plans to produce the C-123 transport for the...
, later designated the XG-20, one became the XC-123, the other the XC-123A.
Chase XC-123
- Former XG-20 fitted with two 2,200 hp R-2800-23 engines.
Chase XC-123A
Chase XC-123A
-See also:-External links:* Popular Science, July 1951, bottom of page 81...
- Former XG-20 fited with four J47-GE-11 turbojets in pairs (of the type used by the B-36Convair B-36The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built , although there have...
and B-47) under wings.
C-123B
- Production model based on the XC-123 with two 2300 hp R-2800-99W engines with accommodation for 61 troops or 50 stretchers, five built by Chase and 302 build by Fairchild Aircraft.
UC-123B
- C-123Bs modified for defoliation and crop destruction duties.
VC-123C
- Executive transport version of the jet-powered XC-123A, not built.
Stroukoff YC-123D
- One aircraft built by Stroukoff with boundary layer control system for improved VTOL performance.
Stroukoff YC-123E
- One aircraft built by Stroukoff with modified fin and rudder, modified fuselage bottom (called Pantobase) and pontoon floats to allow operation from water, sand, snow or ice.
YC-123H
- Prototype with wide track undercarriage and two underwing J85 booster engines.
C-123J
- C-132B with two wing tip mounted Fairchild J44-R-3Fairchild J44|-See also:-References:* The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines, William Fleming and Richard Leyes, AIAA, 1999-External links:*...
booster engines, 10 converted.
C-123K
- C-123Bs with two underwing J85 booster engines and larger wheels, 183 converted.
AC-123K/NC-123K
- Two C-132Bs converted for armed nighttime surveillance with special sensors.
C-123T
- Proposed upgrade for Royal Thai Air Force C-123Bs including installation of turboprop engines; cancelled after one prototype due to budgetary reasons.
HC-123B
- USCG search and rescue variant
UC-123K
- C-123Ks converted for Ranch Hand defoliation missions, 34 converted.
VC-123K
- One C-123K converted as personal transport for General Westmoreland's use in Vietnam.
Stroukoff YC-134
Stroukoff YC-134
-See also:...
- One aircraft built by Stroukoff, as C-123B but fitted with boundary layer control system, tailplane endplates, redesigned landing gear with tandem mainwheels. Later designated YC-134A when fitted with Pantobase landing gear.
YC-136
- Proposed improved variant; cancelled before any aircraft built.
Operators
- Brazilian Air ForceBrazilian Air ForceThe Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
- two resold to VARIGVarigVARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...
- Royal Cambodian Air ForceRoyal Cambodian Air ForceThe Royal Cambodian Air Force is the branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces which is charged with operating all military aircraft in Cambodia.-Organization:...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
)
- Republic of China Air ForceRepublic of China Air ForceThe Republic of China Air Force is the aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan...
-
- 34th "Black Bat" Squadron, 1962 to 1973
- Air Force of El SalvadorAir Force of El SalvadorThe Salvadoran Air Force the air force of the Armed Forces of El Salvador, and is independent from the army and navy. It was formed on 20 March 1923 during a period of heavy interest in aviation in El Salvador. In 1947 after signing the treaty of Rio...
- Lao People's Liberation Army Air ForceLao People's Liberation Army Air ForceThe Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force is the air force of Laos.-History:The present-day LPLAAF is descended from the Aviation Laotienne, which was established by the French and later became the Royal Lao Air Force. Pathet Lao guerrilla forces began to operate a few aircraft from 1960, as did...
- Philippine Air ForcePhilippine Air ForceThe Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
- Royal Saudi Air ForceRoyal Saudi Air ForceThe Royal Saudi Air Force , is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabian armed forces. The RSAF has developed from a largely defensive military force into one with an advanced offensive capability...
- Republic of Korea Air ForceRepublic of Korea Air ForceThe Republic of Korea Air Force is the air force of South Korea...
South Vietnam
- South Vietnamese Air ForceVietnam Air ForceThe Vietnam Air Force began with a few hand-picked men chosen to fly alongside French pilots during the State of Vietnam era. It eventually grew into the world’s sixth largest air force at the height of its power, in 1974...
- Royal Thai Air ForceRoyal Thai Air ForceThe Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
- US Air Force
- US Coast GuardUnited States Coast GuardThe United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
- Venezuelan Air Force
Accidents and incidents
- 10 October 1958: A C-123B Provider, 55-4521, en route from Hill AFB, Utah to McChord AFB, Washington, with five USAF Thunderbirds flight crew and 14 maintenance personnel, flew through a flock of birds and crashed into a hillside six miles east of PayettePayette, IdahoPayette is a city in and the county seat of Payette County, Idaho, United States. The population was 7,054 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ontario, OR–ID Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, Idaho, just before 1830, killing all on board. This accident remains the worst loss-of-life in Thunderbirds team history. - 11 December 1965: En route to Tuy Hoa Air BaseTuy Hoa Air BaseTuy Hoa Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States between 1965-1966 and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam. It was seized by the Vietnam People's Army in April...
, a USAF C-123 hit some trees on top of a ridge, causing it to enter a spin and crash. All four crew and 81 passengers were killed. - 16 October 1980: A UC-123K of the Ohio Air National Guard crashed shortly after take off enroute home from Fort Sill, Oklahoma to Columbus-Rickenbacker ANGB, OhioRickenbacker Air National Guard BaseRickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard facility of the Ohio Air National Guard. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker...
. Four crew members died on impact, the fifth died later. - 6 February 1982: A South Korean Air Force C-123 crashed into a volcano while on approach to Jeju International AirportJeju International AirportJeju International Airport Revised Romanization of Korean; Jeju Gukje Gonghang, McCune-Reischauer; Cheju Kukche Konghang) is the 3rd largest in South Korea, just behind Gimpo Airport in Seoul and Incheon Airport in Incheon. It is located in the city of Jeju...
, killing all 53 people on board. - 1 August 2010: The aircraft used for flying scenes in the movie Con AirCon AirCon Air is an Academy Award–nominated 1997 American action-thriller film directed by Simon West and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. It stars Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and John Malkovich...
, C-123K #54-0709, registration N709RR (cn: 20158), crashed in Denali National Park while performing a cargo flight for All West Freight. All three crew members perished.
Survivors
- Air America Foundation, Inc.(Owner) (housed at) Valiant Air Command Warbird MuseumValiant Air Command Warbird MuseumThe Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum is located at the Space Coast Regional Airport, 6600 Tico Road, in Brevard County, just south of Titusville, Florida. The VAC contains vintage aircraft and a hangar with a restoration area. The VAC also has a Memorabilia Hall with flight gear, dress...
, Space Coast Regional AirportSpace Coast Regional AirportSpace Coast Regional Airport is located in the city of Titusville, Florida on Columbia Boulevard and Washington Avenue in Brevard County. Formerly known as Ti-Co Airport, it is the nearest commercial airport to the Kennedy Space Center.- History :In 1943, the U.S. Government constructed the...
, Titusville, Florida - Air Heritage Museum in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; this museum's C-123K, "ThunderPig," is operational and available for air shows
- Benito Ebuen AFBMactan Air BaseMactan Air Base was a facility of the United States Air Force located on Mactan Island in Cebu, Philippines.-Location:Mactan Air Base is located on Mactan Island, off Cebu City in the province Cebu in the south central Philippines...
, Mactan Island, Philippines, PAF - Castle AirportCastle AirportCastle Airport is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States. It is operated by the Merced County Department of Commerce, Aviation, and Economic Development.The airport is located at...
, California, Castle Air MuseumCastle Air MuseumCastle Air Museum is a military aviation museum located in Atwater, California, United States adjacent to the site of the former Castle Air Force Base...
, C-123K #55-4512 (on loan from NMUSAF) - Dover AFB, Delaware, Air Mobility Command Museum, C-123K #54-0658 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- Dyess AFB, Texas, C-123K #54-0604 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- El Avion restaurant in Hotel Costa Verde, Costa Rica has the twin of the CIA-operated aircraft downed by the Sandinista forces over Nicaragua in 1986. The aircraft has been converted into a bar.
- Fort BraggFort Bragg (North Carolina)Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
, North Carolina, 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum, C-123K #54-0609 (on loan from NMUSAF) - Hill Aerospace MuseumHill Aerospace MuseumHill Aerospace Museum, located near Ogden, Utah, is a U.S. Air Force museum that is part of the United States Air Force Heritage Program.The museum, founded in 1981 and moved to its current location in 1991, displays over 90 aircraft from around the world, in addition to a variety of munitions,...
, Hill AFB, Utah, C-123K #54-0610 (on loan from NMUSAF) - Hurlburt FieldHurlburt FieldHurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida, Hurlburt Field Memorial Air Park, C-123K #55-4533 (on loan from NMUSAF) - Jesada Technik Museum, Thailand, C-123K #54-0576 (aircraft used in Operation Dumbo Drop)
- Jinpo maritime Theme park, Gunsan, South Korea
- Kulis ANGB, Anchorage, Arkansas, C-123J #56-4395 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- Lackland AFB, Texas, C-123K #54-0668 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- Little Rock AFB, Arizona, Air Park, C-123K #55-4567 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- March ARBMarch Joint Air Reserve BaseMarch Joint Air Reserve Base is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's 4th Air Force Headquarters and the 452d Air Mobility Wing , the largest air mobility wing of the 4th Air Force...
, California, March Field Air MuseumMarch Field Air MuseumThe March Field Air Museum is an aviation museum near Moreno Valley and Riverside, California, adjacent to March Air Reserve Base.-Origins:The museum was founded in 1979 as March Air Force Base Museum. Originally operated by the Air Force, the museum's operation was transferred to a nonprofit...
, C-123K #54-0612 (on loan from NMUSAF) - Pima Air and Space Museum (adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB), Tucson, Arizona, C-123B #55-4505 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- Muan International AirportMuan International AirportMuan International Airport Revised Romanization of Korean; Muan Gukje Gonghang, McCune-Reischauer; Muan Kukche Konghang) is an airport in Muan County, Jeollanam-do. Construction of the airport began in 1997 and the airport opened on November 9, 2007. The airport serves the cities of Gwangju and...
, South Korea - Museum of Alaska Transport and Industry, Wasilla AirportWasilla AirportWasilla Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles west of the central business district of Wasilla, a city in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska...
, Alaska - Museo de la Aviación, Ilopango Airport, Ilopango, El Salvador, FAS
- Pope AAF, North Carolina, Air Park, C-123K #54-0669 (painted as #54-0372) (on loan from NMUSAF)
- Robins AFB, Georgia, Museum of Aviation, C-123B #54-0633 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- Royal Thai Air Force Museum, Don Muang AFB
- Travis AFB, California, Travis Air Museum, C-123K #55-4507 (on loan from NMUSAF)
- War Memorial of Korea, SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea - Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, National Museum of the United States Air ForceNational Museum of the United States Air ForceThe National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
, C-123K #56-4362
Several other examples of C-123s remain in an active flying status, operated by private owners in the United States or by various air forces worldwide.
Specifications (C-123K Provider)
Notable appearances in media
A C-123 was prominently featured in the action film Con Air, as well as Operation Dumbo DropOperation Dumbo Drop
Operation Dumbo Drop is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed by Simon Wincer. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Gene Quintano and Jim Kouf; based on a true story as depicted by United States Army Major Jim Morris...
and Air America
Air America (film)
Air America is a 1990 American action comedy film directed by Roger Spottiswoode, starring Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. as Air America pilots, during the Vietnam War, flying missions in Laos...
. Each of these aircraft was previously used for spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam, and sold by the Air Force - General Services Administration before precautions were established to prohibit the surplus sale of such toxic aircraft.
