| Provider: The Fairchild C-123 Assault Transport By Tom Hildreth |
In 1975 I hosted a photographer's tour
of several bases in New England. The Air Force Reserve still operated the Fairchild C-123 Provider
then, and I was surprised to hear a guest express a negative opinion of the aircraft's capabilities.
Sure, the C-123 wasn't photogenic, but it was a true tactical airlift success. Somewhat overshadowed
by the larger and more numerous Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the C-123 had proven to be a platform of
unparalleled utility. Operated by TAC, SAC, ANG, AFRES and the USCG as well as numerous foreign air
forces, it is interesting that NATO did not field an equivalent aircraft. Though I was not a Provider
crewmember, I made a couple of trips in the type in Vietnam. Before we look at aircraft's development
and service life, allow me a moment to reminisce.
My Recollection
C-123K (54-0688) of the 315th TAW photographed
during engine maintenance at Tan Son Nhut AB, Vietnam in 1969. Photo: Tom Hildreth
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The prop on No. 1 engine began to turn slowly. I could see its light-dark-light-dark
strobe effect from my seat in the cargo hold before the engine fired up. The brakes squealed as we
trundled out to the active runway. The loud whine of the J-85 booster engines turned into a deafening
roar, and though this didn't actually seem to speed up our departure, the aircraft was airborne about
a quarter of the way down the runway. The jets were turned off after a one-minute run time and the
aircraft settled into a wallowing cruise under the power of the two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 piston
engines. From where I sat, the sound of the piston engines bore no resemblance to the romanticized
drone of a propliner. A short way from our destination airfield the throttles were pulled back. The
dirt on the floor began to dance an inch off the deck as the aircraft resonated to the changed engine
RPM. I heard the rush of the slipstream underneath me as the landing gear extended from the boxy
fuselage. Across the hold my buddies surged toward the nose of the aircraft restrained by their
seatbelts. As the descent became steeper, it required considerable effort to remain in place on the
fold-down cloth seat. I assume the pilot managed to flare the aircraft before we met the ground, but
it was a pretty rude greeting just the same. The trip was worthwhile; we were about to begin a few
days "In-country R&R."
Early Developments
The Chase Aircraft Company was founded in February 1943. The early efforts of this
firm took place in one of New York's boroughs, and were directed toward the development of cargo
gliders for the Army Air Corps during World War II. The first military glider produced by Chase was
the XCG-14. This 16-seat prototype was of wooden construction and flew for the first time on January
4th, 1945. The 24-seat XCG-14A that followed flew for the first time on October 16th, 1945. Eventually
the firm relocated to West Trenton, New Jersey. The performance of the two gliders led to a new contract
for two larger XCG-18A all-metal gliders that were to bear the name Avitruc. The first of these
32-seaters took to the air in December, 1947. An upswept rear fuselage appeared with this model and
this feature was eventually developed into an hydraulically-operated loading ramp. This shape remains
as a characteristic of most military transports to this day. The five YG-18A service evaluation examples
ordered on March 5, 1948 had a respectable payload of four tons. On that same date another contract
was awarded to Chase for two examples of a further enlargement of the glider design to be designated
XG-20.
The Avitruc - An Operational Predecessor
With cowl flaps wide open, a YC-122C of the
16th Troop Carrier Squadron roars down a dirt strip. Photo: Fairchild Aircraft Company
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During the test and evaluation phase of these gliders Air Force interest began to
shift towards powered assault aircraft. The adoption of this policy meant that no production
examples of the Chase gliders were to appear. Convinced that their airframes were sufficiently
robust to accommodate power plants, Chase installed two Pratt & Whitney R-2000 radials to YG-18A
AF 47-0641. This aircraft first flew in powered form in November 1948, and was quickly redesignated
YC-122. The next year nine YC-122C aircraft were ordered which were powered by Wright R-1820 engines
of 1,425 HP each. These 30-seat aircraft had an empty weight of 19,000 lb. and featured the unusual
combination of fully-retractable nose gear and non-retractable main landing gear. The attachment
point for the tow cable was retained in the nose and all internal fuel was carried in jettisonable
self-sealing tanks in the engine nacelles. This feature was later carried over to production C-123
aircraft. Most of the YC-122Cs served operationally with the 316th Troop Carrier Group at Sewart AFB,
Tennessee from 1951 to 1954. From late 1954 to mid-summer 1955 a number of these aircraft were
operated by the 16th Troop Carrier Squadron/463rd Troop Carrier Wing at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma. After
retirement from military service, ten of the YC-122s were authorized for reclamation and salvage.
The large XG-20 design became the subject of powerplant application as soon as the airframe became
available. AF 47-0786 was fitted with two 2,300 HP Pratt & Whitney R-2800s and thus became the XC-123.
The first flight for this type was October 14, 1949. This was less than a year after the first YC-122
flight and five months before the first flight of the XG-20 glider. Evaluated at Eglin Field, Florida
during the spring of 1950, the XC-123 greatly impressed the Air Force. The second XG-20 airframe did
not perform for very long as a glider. It was soon equipped with two General Electric J-47 jet engines
under each wing and flew as the XC-123A on April 21st, 1951. The use of these early jet engines on an
aircraft designed as a glider and unlikely to exceed Mach .4 was certainly novel, if not questionable.
Although high-volume production had not yet materialized, the Chase transport series quickly grew in
size and variety.
Production Uncertainties
SAC C-123B photographed at Westover AFB, MA on 18 Aug
1962. Photo: Tom Hildreth
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In May 1953, Henry J. Kaiser acquired 49 percent of Chase Aircraft stock. A small batch
of C-123B-CN aircraft (AF 52-1527 to 52-1531) was produced under the Chase name at the Kaiser Company's
Willow Run, Michigan plant. This facility had become the second source for C-119 Flying Boxcars for the
Air Force, and it was planned to introduce the C-123 into production on a second assembly line parallel
to that of the C-119. Both production lines were to be used for the C-123 after the C-119 run ended. A
remarkable maximum delivery rate of 35 aircraft per month was forecast. This was not to be achieved
however, because in June 1953 all USAF contracts with the Kaiser organization were canceled. Requests
for competitive bids for C-123 production were forwarded to several major aircraft manufacturers. In
October 1953 the Fairchild Aircraft Company was awarded the contract to begin series production of 293
C-123B aircraft. The name Provider was bestowed upon the new craft that soon began to roll out of
Fairchild's Hagerstown, Maryland facility. Production proceeded in seventeen consecutively numbered
batches.
Pre-Vietnam Service
U.S. Coast Guard HC-123B at lift-off. Photo: USCG-Miami
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The C-123B weighed 35,000 lb. empty, and accommodated 62 fully-equipped troops or a
large variety of vehicles and weapons. It could be quickly converted to a 50-litter medevac transport.
The C-123B became operational when it equipped the 309th Troop Carrier Group at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma
in July, 1955. The aircraft's ability to operate from short, minimally-prepared landing strips soon
attracted the attention of the Strategic Air Command. This large organization needed an aircraft to
support their northern snow-bound bases and sites. SAC operated more than 60 different Providers
between 1958 and 1966. Many of these were returned to Fairchild at the end of their SAC tour. The US
Coast Guard evinced an interest in the C-123 as a logistical transport with a secondary mission of
search and rescue. Delivery of at least six Providers to the USCG took place in 1958. These aircraft
operated from many USCG air stations in Miami,Florida; Barbers Point, Hawaii; Kodiak, Alaska; Guam, and
Naples, Italy. The Coast Guard C-123Bs (referred to as the HC-123B by some USCG sources) were easily
distinguished from their Air Force cousins by the large nose-mounted APN-158 radar. These aircraft were
flown to the Military Aircraft Storage Disposition Center (MASDC) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona after
their 1971 retirement from Coast Guard service. South Vietnam received a large number of Providers
throughout the duration of the Southeast Asia conflict, and Thailand also operated the type. The Royal
Saudi Air Force took delivery of six C-123Bs that received RSAF serials 430 to 435. Aircraft 431 from
this group reportedly served in the Egyptian Air Force. Eighteen B models went to the Venezuelan Air
Force (AF 57-6185 to 57-6202).
Operational Enhancements
FAA C-123B photographed at Anchorage, AK,
May 1975. Photo: FAA
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To improve the short-field capability of the C-123, Fairchild installed a J-44R3
turbojet of its own design on each wingtip of YC-123B. The increase in performance led to the
production of ten similarly-powered C-123J models. These aircraft were outfitted with retractable
skis for operation from compacted snow runways, and equipped the 408th Air Transport Squadron of
the 4081st Strategic Wing at Harmon AFB, Newfoundland. This organization used these aircraft
extensively in the resupply of remote sites in Greenland. Many of the J models later served with
the 144th Tactical Airlift Squadron of the Alaska Air National Guard. The Federal Aviation
Administration's Alaskan Region operated N98 and N123, aircraft that had Continental J-69 jet engines
on the wingtips. Air Force concepts of battlefield air supply were altered considerably by the Vietnam
War. Operational demands were made which soon approached the maximum capabilities of the C-123B. More
power and agility were needed to meet these challenges. Fairchild developed the unique YC-123H
(AF 54-2956) as a technology test platform in response to the emergent need for an improved tactical
transport. This aircraft featured a main gear track width that was increased 5 feet to 17.6 feet and
had larger tires that gave 41 percent more ground contact. These changes significantly improved rough-field
and cross wind operations. A landing approach parachute system was installed above the rear cargo door
that allowed for very steep descent into small airfields in hostile areas. Most significant of the
modifications was the addition of pylon-mounted General Electric J-85 jet engines that were fitted
under each wing at the mid-point. The small jet engines weighed only 389 lb. each yet produced 2,850-lb.
thrust that was nearly three times the augmentation boost available to the C-123J. The H model did not
attain production status but in effect served as the prototype for the highly successful K model that
followed.
Combat Service
C-123K (54-0633), operated by the 731st TAS, on the ramp
at Westover ARB, MA, 19 Nov 1979. Photo: Tom Hildreth
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The modifications that were incorporated in the H model were installed in less than
90 days, and the aircraft flew for the first time in this configuration on July 30th, 1962. The aircraft
was quickly sent to Southeast Asia for a realistic appraisal. The obvious performance increases led to
a contract to bring 183 C-123B aircraft up to the new C-123K standard. The approach parachute system
was not included in the conversion program and time limitations prohibited the installation of the
wide-track landing gear, though an anti-skid brake system was installed. The C-123K quickly established
a remarkable service record in Southeast Asia the highlight of which was 179 missions flown into the
beleaguered American Combat base at Khe Sanh, Vietnam during the three-month siege by North Vietnamese
troops. On February 12th, 1968, all C-130 Hercules operations were suspended. The C-123 Providers of
the 315th Special Operations Wing were the only fixed-wing transports to continue operation into the
base. Two examples of the NC-123K, also known as AC-123K, were produced.
These aircraft were highly modified for night surveillance missions in SEA. AF 54-0691 and 54-0698 were
modified by Ling-Temco-Vought during 1966 with an extended nose shape that contained "Black Spot" sensors
for these special missions. Several C-123s were used as VIP transports. The best known of these was "The
White Whale" (AF 56-4375). General Westmoreland used this aircraft as his personal transport in Southeast
Asia. Other VIP conversions operated in the embassy support role at scattered locations around the globe.
Notoriety
One controversial duty the Provider was called upon to perform in Southeast Asia
was that of chemical delivery. At least three C-123Bs were modified to UC-123B standard by the
addition of A/A 45Y-1A aerial spray apparatus. Thirty-four UC-123Ks were similarly produced. Many
of these flew on "Ranch Hand" defoliation missions and "Trail Dust" crop destruction flights from
Bien Hoa Air Base the activities of these Providers resulted in political repercussions on a wide
scale that led to the Agent Orange legacy that exists today. After the war the 302nd Tactical Airlift
Wing at Rickenbacker AFB, Ohio operated a small fleet of UC-123Ks that were among the last Providers
in operational service. Known as the Special Spray Flight, these aircraft were used to control
insect-borne diseases. Missions to Alaska, South America and Guam were among the humanitarian duties
performed by this Air Force Reserve unit.
Related Developments
Mr. Michael Stroukoff had been president and chief engineer of Chase aircraft during
the Provider's development. The Stroukoff Aircraft Corporation produced four specialized versions of
the Provider, which were used to explore short takeoff and landing (STOL) technology. The YC-123D
(AF 53-8068) employed a boundary-layer control system for additional lift, and the YC-123E (AF 55-4031)
was equipped with features known as the "Pantobase" system. This aircraft also was equipped with
wing-mounted pontoons for operation from water. The application of boundary-layer control and the
installation of massive Wright R-3350 engines led to the YC-134 variant. The addition of Pantobase to
this aircraft produced the YC-134A, which was the ultimate hardware development of the original glider
design. During the early 1960s the Fairchild Company proposed a C-123 follow-up design to be powered by
four General Electric T-64 turboprop engines of 2,800 HP each. This aircraft would have incorporated
tandem main landing gear, double slotted flaps, short-span ailerons and a spoiler system. Though these
ideas had great merit, the project did not proceed beyond the paper stage. The Advanced Medium STOL
Transport (AMST) program of the 1970s produced two innovative
aircraft the Boeing YC-14 and the McDonnell Douglas YC-15. When the program was canceled in 1979,
these successful aircraft were retired to the boneyard. Some of the technology developed for the YC-15
has been applied to the C-17 Globemaster III
Strategic Airlifter program of today. Russia appreciated the technological advance, and went on
to produce a close imitation of the YC-14.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the following sources for their kind assistance in
the preparation of this article: T.K. Rhinehart, Fairchild-Republic Company; USAF Archive Center,
Maxwell AFB, Alabama; E.R. Caywood, SAC historian; U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC and Miami, Florida;
Mr. Harry Huskey, FAA Alaska Region.
Request For Assistance
This writer does not claim to be an expert on the C-123 Provider. I am an admirer of
this aircraft that has been overlooked by many in the aviation press. I welcome contact with persons
willing to share information, photos, slides, negatives, stories and recollections of the Provider or
its predecessors.
Tom Hildreth
72 Mountain View Street
Chester, VT 05143-9497
NO CALLS PLEASE
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