McDonnell Douglas C-9

McDonnell Douglas C-9
Country	USA
Role	Jet transport
Introduction	1968
Built	48

The McDonnell Douglas C-9 is a military version of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airliner. It was produced as the C-9A Nightingale for the United States Air Force, and the C-9B Skytrain II for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The final flight of the C-9A Nightingale was in September 2005, and the C-9C was retired in September 2011. The U.S. Navy retired its last C-9B in July 2014. The two remaining C-9s in Marine service were retired in April 2017.

Source: McDonnell Douglas C-9 on Wikipedia

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Photos	17

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 1

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 2

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 3

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 4

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 5

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 6

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 7

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 8

McDonnell-Douglas C-9B Skytrain II 9

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

Wait, Searching McDonnell Douglas C-9 for you…

McDonnell Douglas VC-9C Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Castle Air Museum, Atwater
Photos	95

McDonnell Douglas VC-9C

General Characteristics and Role

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)
Role	Military Passenger/Cargo Transport, Logistics Support
National Origin	United States
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft / McDonnell Douglas
Service Entry (C-9B)	1973
Crew	3 (Pilot, Co-pilot, Crew Chief/Loadmaster)
Capacity (Passengers)	Up to 90 troops, or 40 litter patients plus medical staff
Length	36.37 m (119 ft 4 in)
Wingspan	28.47 m (93 ft 5 in)
Height	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.