2010 Indianapolis Air Show
Fairchild C-123 “Provider”
The C-123, originally designed and manufactured by Chase Aircraft, actually started out as an engineless glider, but due to the fact the US Air Force did not have a aircraft suitable for towing something as large as the “Provider”, it then had two R-2800 radial engines, producing 2500 hp each, added to take advantage of its large cargo carrying capabilities. Chase built the 7 initial aircraft, but the USAF chose Fairchild to build the 302 production C-123B variants. Later, 183 of the B models were converted to C-123Ks, which had two General Electric J85-GE-17 jet engines added for helping a fully loaded “Provider”, weighing 36 tons, get airborne from short airstrips. The C-123K could haul 60 fully equipped combat troops or a fully loaded two and a half ton truck into a combat situation. During the Vietnam Conflict, the C-123 came into its own, operating in and out of short, unprepared landing strips, hauling not only troops, trucks, jeeps, artillery and ammunition, but also refugees, live stock and anything else that needed to be moved by air to the remote outposts and villages in that country. The use of the C-123 in Southeast Asia was not without its cost, as 54 were lost during that long war.
Pictured above is the C-123K “Provider”, nicknamed “Thunder Pig”, flying to the Mt. Comfort Airport. This particular aircraft, one of four still flyable in this country, was delivered to the USAF in May of 1956, and served at numerous stateside airbases until being retired in 1981. In 1994 Air Heritage of Beaver Falls, PA obtained the C-123K from the US government and has been taking this rare transport to air shows and aviation events ever since. The C-123 is one you will definitely want to tour at the show this year, as it has plenty of room to stand up straight and walk around in.
Learn more about “Thunder Pig”, on the web at Air Heritage.
2010 Indianapolis Air Show
Fairchild C-123 “Provider”
The C-123, originally designed and manufactured by Chase Aircraft, actually started out as an engineless glider, but due to the fact the US Air Force did not have a aircraft suitable for towing something as large as the “Provider”, it then had two R-2800 radial engines, producing 2500 hp each, added to take advantage of its large cargo carrying capabilities. Chase built the 7 initial aircraft, but the USAF chose Fairchild to build the 302 production C-123B variants. Later, 183 of the B models were converted to C-123Ks, which had two General Electric J85-GE-17 jet engines added for helping a fully loaded “Provider”, weighing 36 tons, get airborne from short airstrips. The C-123K could haul 60 fully equipped combat troops or a fully loaded two and a half ton truck into a combat situation. During the Vietnam Conflict, the C-123 came into its own, operating in and out of short, unprepared landing strips, hauling not only troops, trucks, jeeps, artillery and ammunition, but also refugees, live stock and anything else that needed to be moved by air to the remote outposts and villages in that country. The use of the C-123 in Southeast Asia was not without its cost, as 54 were lost during that long war.
Pictured above is the C-123K “Provider”, nicknamed “Thunder Pig”, flying to the Mt. Comfort Airport. This particular aircraft, one of four still flyable in this country, was delivered to the USAF in May of 1956, and served at numerous stateside airbases until being retired in 1981. In 1994 Air Heritage of Beaver Falls, PA obtained the C-123K from the US government and has been taking this rare transport to air shows and aviation events ever since. The C-123 is one you will definitely want to tour at the show this year, as it has plenty of room to stand up straight and walk around in.
Learn more about “Thunder Pig”, on the web at Air Heritage.