Fairchild C-123 Provider

The C-123 was also used as "jump aircraft" for U.S. Army Airborne students located at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

This aircraft was used in conjunction with the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

With the end of the Vietnam War, remaining C-123Ks and UC-123Ks were transferred to [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (AFRES) and the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (ANG) that were operationally-gained by [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (TAC) prior to 1975 and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (MAC) after 1975.^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}

The [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (later [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]), Ohio flew the last UC-123Ks Providers in operational service before converting to the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

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.^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}

The final examples of the C-123 in active US military service were retired from the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in the early 1980s.

Some airframes were transferred to the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (FAA) for test and evaluation programs while others were transferred to the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (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 higher 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.

Stroukoff YC 134

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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.

Stroukoff YC 134A

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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.

^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (later developed as the military J85) turbojets.

YC-123H GE

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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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] powerplants.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-A-7 turboprops were used and by the time the aircraft, dubbed C-123T, was complete it had new [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 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 (at least this is claimed) to operate under jet, internal combustion and turboprop engine power, and as a glider,^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]} during its history.

Le Mancro C 123 T Allison

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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 conflict in Vietnam, 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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] such as the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] were more numerous.
These aircraft, operating under the call-sign Candle were flown by the USAF's [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].