Tá McDonnell Douglas C-9 je vojenská verze dopravního letadla McDonnell Douglas DC-9. Byl vyráběn jako C-9A Nightingale pro letectvo Spojených států a C-9B Skytrain II pro americké námořnictvo a námořní pěchotu. Poslední let letounu C-9A Nightingale se uskutečnil v září 2005 a letoun C-9C byl vyřazen v září 2011. Americké námořnictvo vyřadilo svůj poslední letoun C-9B v červenci 2014. Dva zbývající letouny C-9 ve službě u námořní pěchoty byly vyřazeny v dubnu 2017.
The McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II is the United States Navy and Marine Corps designation for a militarized version of the successful Douglas DC-9 Series 30 commercial airliner. The C-9 series was primarily used by the Navy for the rapid transport of high-priority cargo and personnel, often serving as a dedicated logistics and medical transport platform. The ‘B’ variant was a convertible freighter/passenger aircraft, capable of quickly switching roles depending on mission needs. Its adoption represented the military’s strategy of utilizing reliable and high-speed commercial airframes for their transport needs, ensuring high dispatch reliability and readily available parts. The C-9B was instrumental in supporting U.S. Navy and Marine Corps operations worldwide until its retirement.
Property
Typical Value (C-9B / DC-9-30)
Roli
Military Passenger/Cargo Transport, Logistics Support
National Origin
Spojené státy americké
Výrobce
Douglas Aircraft / McDonnell Douglas
Service Entry (C-9B)
1973
Posádky
3 (Pilot, Co-pilot, Crew Chief/Loadmaster)
Capacity (Passengers)
Up to 90 troops, or 40 litter patients plus medical staff
Délka
36.37 m (119 ft 4 in)
Rozpětí křídel
28.47 m (93 ft 5 in)
Výška
8.38 m (27 ft 6 in)
Empty Weight
28,200 kg (62,100 lb)
Max Takeoff Weight
49,940 kg (110,100 lb)
Powerplant and Performance
Engine: 2 x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 turbofan engines.
Thrust (Per Engine): 64.5 kN (14,500 lbf).
Maximum Speed: 917 km/h (570 mph; 495 kn) (Cruising speed).
Service Ceiling: 10,668 m (35,000 ft).
Range: 3,700 km (2,300 mi; 2,000 nmi).
Cargo: The C-9B featured a large cargo door on the port (left) side of the forward fuselage for easier loading of bulky items and litters.
Operational Variants and Legacy
C-9A Nightingale: This variant was used by the U.S. Air Force as a dedicated aeromedical evacuation aircraft.
C-9B Skytrain II: Served the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Reserve units, focusing on fleet logistics support.
Civilian Heritage: The C-9 series benefited from the massive production run and technical maturity of the DC-9 airliner, making it extremely reliable and cost-effective to operate.
Retirement: The C-9B was phased out of Navy/Marine Corps service and replaced by newer C-40 Clipper (militarized Boeing 737) aircraft in the 2000s.