De Fairchild C-123 Aanbieder is een Amerikaans militair transportvliegtuig ontworpen door Chase Aircraft en vervolgens gebouwd door Fairchild Aircraft voor de Amerikaanse luchtmacht. Naast zijn USAF-dienst, die latere dienst bij de Air Force Reserve en Air National Guard omvatte, ging het ook dienen bij de Kustwacht van de Verenigde Staten en verschillende luchtmachten in Zuidoost-Azië. Tijdens de Vietnamoorlog werd het toestel gebruikt om Agent Orange te spuiten.
De C-123 Aanbiederhas one of the most unusual origin stories in aviation history. Originally designed by Chase Aircraft as an all-metalassault glider(the XG-20), it proved so sturdy that engines were added to turn it into a transport. While the early “B” models relied on piston engines, theC-123Kwas the ultimate evolution. To handle the heavy loads and short, muddy runways of Vietnam, Fairchild added two auxiliary turbojets, giving the plane a distinctive “two-turning, two-burning” configuration.
2 × General Electric J85-GE-17 turbojets (2,850 lbf each)
Maximum Speed
228 mph (367 km/h)
Nettolading
24,000 lbs (11,000 kg) or 60 troops / 50 litters
Takeoff Distance
Approx. 1,160 ft (with jet assistance)
Max Takeoff Weight
60,000 lbs (27,215 kg)
The “Jet-Pod” Advantage
Boosted STOL Performance:The “K” model’s two underwingJ85 jet podswere used primarily for takeoff and climb-out. This extra thrust allowed the Provider to clear jungle treelines while carrying maximum weight from short, unimproved dirt strips.
The “In-Flight” Safety Net:In the event of a piston engine failure—a common occurrence in the humid, high-stress environment of Vietnam—the auxiliary jets could be fired up to maintain altitude and help the crew return to base safely.
High-Flotation Landing Gear:To support its role as an “assault” transport, the C-123 used wide, low-pressure tires and a sturdy tricycle landing gear that allowed it to land on surfaces that would bog down more delicate aircraft.
Rear Loading Ramp:Like modern transports, the C-123 featured a large rear ramp that could be lowered in flight for air-dropping supplies or on the ground for rapid loading of vehicles and troops.
Vietnam Service & “Patches”
Operation Ranch Hand:The C-123 is famously (and controversially) associated with the spraying ofAgent Orange. Modified variants, known asUC-123K, flew low and slow over the jungle to strip away enemy cover.
“Patches”:One of the most famous C-123s, namedPatches, earned its name from the nearly 600 shrapnel and bullet hole repairs it accumulated during the war. It is now preserved at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
Special Ops & Black Spot:Two Providers were converted intoNC-123K “Black Spot”night attackers, equipped with a long nose housing radar and sensors to hunt trucks along the Ho Chi Minh Trail—a precursor to modern gunships.
Hollywood Star:Beyond its military service, the C-123 became a pop-culture icon, most notably starring as the “Jailbird” in the 1997 action filmCon Air.
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