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Description
| Notes: Tactical transport with auxiliary jet engines. | ||
| Manufacturer: | Fairchild | |
| Base model: | C-123 | |
| Designation: | C-123 | |
| Version: | K | |
| Nickname: | Provider | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1925-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Transport | |
Specifications
| Length: | 76' 3" | 23.2 m | |
| Height: | 34' 6" | 10.5 m | |
| Wingspan: | 110' | 33.5 m | |
| Wingarea: | 1,223.0 sq ft | 113.6 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 29,900 lb | 13,560 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 60,000 lb | 27,210 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 2 | ||
| Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney R-2800 & 2 2850Lb J85-GE | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 2500 | ||
Performance
| Range: | 1,825 miles | 2,938 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 170 mph | 273 km/h | 147 kt |
| Max Speed: | 240 mph | 386 km/h | 208 kt |
| Ceiling: | 28,000 ft | 8,534 m | |
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Air Heritage Museum & Aircraft Restoration | Beaver Falls | Pennsylvania |
| Air Mobility Command Museum | Dover AFB | Delaware |
| Castle Air Museum | Atwater | California |
| Dyess Linear Air Park | Dyess AFB | Texas |
| March Field Air Museum | Riverside | California |
| Pima Air & Space Museum | Tucson | Arizona |
| Pope AFB | Pope AFB | North Carolina |
| Travis Air Force Museum | Travis AFB | California |
| USAF History and Traditions Museum | San Antonio | Texas |
| United States Air Force Museum | Wright-Patterson | Ohio |
C-123K on display
Air Heritage Museum & Aircraft Restoration | Air Mobility Command Museum | Castle Air Museum | March Field Museum | |
Pope AFB | United States Air Force Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Mike Louck Sevierville, TN | The picture of the UC-123K spraying colored water was taken at Rickenbacker AFB, Ohio. The tail number of that aircraft was either 54 or 56-371. I was assigned to that aircraft at the time the picture was taken. 09/26/2008 @ 04:59 [ref: 22747] |
| Steve Hay-Chapman Reno, NV | Greetings,
Retired Lt. Col Lorimer W.(Larry or Chappy) Hay-Chapman, my father who passed away August 2003 did his tour in 64-65 as commander of the Ranch Hands and also flew Patches. I have a group photo and was wondering if anyone remembers any stories in regards to his tour. If you do please fill me in. Thanks, Chappy 2 07/17/2008 @ 14:36 [ref: 22163] |
| GEORGE KEENE Clovis, CA | I served in the 606th from APR70-MAY71 as a navigator and accumulated over 1200 night combat hours during 280 missions. I am also the navigator referred to as "Charles" in John Halliday's book "Flying through Midnight". It was most certainly an exciting tour and one I will never forget. 05/07/2008 @ 10:57 [ref: 20821] |
| Darrell Skinner Madison, IN | Howdy to all the 606 out there! thought I remembered a Jim Jackson, I've a picture of my 'final' mission and there you were! I had no idea 606 shut down that year I left end of June '71.
Mike Welch, not sure if we flew together or not, oh I was flight engineer "Skin" I remember faces more than names. Must be gettin' old! Enjoy coming back to this site and recalling the old days especially now that my wife and have our third Son on the way to Iraq, first one was in 1991! 17 years ago can't believe it! And why is it always the same families! 01/19/2008 @ 15:58 [ref: 19359] |
| ernest eaton , ME | Never flew on one but trained as a mechanic and did finals on her at Sheppard AFB Texas in 57 - 58. Two of us would get on wingtips and rock her back and forth. Remember marching to school one morning with snow on the ground. We put on every bit of clothing we had. At noon when we marched back it must have been 70 degrees. Guys were passing out left and right. When we cleaned the barracks we had to coordinate with the guys upstairs and move our bunks to one side then the other as they washed the floor. The water poured down thru the cracks in the floor. One day three tornadoes blew thru Witchita Falls and hailstones the size of silver dollars fell on base. Awesome sight watching the twisters go by. Can't remember for sure but weren't the engines on the C-123 R-2800s? Same as on the C-131As (Airevac)at Travis AFB where I spent 4 years. 01/15/2008 @ 08:27 [ref: 19300] |
| Gene Schroeder (Ssgt) Denver, CO | I was an instructor flight engineer with the 309th Air Commando Sq at Phan Rang RVN for two tours;Sept 66-Sept 67 and Dec 69-Dec 70. I loved the C-123B models,but when they added the jets and converted to the C-123K it was a real eye opener. The first time we spooled up the jets and made a max power assault take off,the whole crew had shit eating grins on their faces. What a rush! I want to say hello to all the crews I flew with on "WETSU" Airlines. For you non-commando's that's "We Eat This Shit Up"! 08/09/2007 @ 06:17 [ref: 17533] |
| Mike Welch Hermosa Beach, CA | I flew C-123K's as a Loadmaster at 606th SOS during my tour at NKP Feb 70 - Feb 71. Loved the aircraft and mission and grateful I made it back after the one year tour. Many memories of the missiosn and guys who flew the aircraft night after night. I also read John Halliday's "Flying through Midnight" and also conversed with him several times on e-mail - great reading. 07/06/2007 @ 13:51 [ref: 17025] |
| Jim Jackson Panama City, FL | I volunteered for C-123 Candlestick duty as my very first assignment after Nav school. I arrived at NKP in January of 1971 and flew missions just like any other FNG. I met and flew with some of the finest aviators and men I have ever known during that first tour. Good duty for a young man!
When the AF closed the 606th down in August '71 I went to Phang Rang (kicking and screaming!) To get out of the office job they gave me I volunteered (again) to fly the Malathion spry missions. Turned out to be some to the best flying I ever did. By the way, Patches in the AF museum at Wright-Patt isn't fonfigured or painted the way I remember. First of all, the spray boom is missing. At Phan Rang I remember Snuffy Smith painted on the nose and no targe on the nose cone. Also, when I was at the museum she was painted in her Vietnamese colors thqt they put on her when we left. 03/09/2007 @ 13:09 [ref: 15832] |
| Wes Carter (SAF Ret) , OR | I flew Patches in its aeromedical evacuation role until the 731st retired them. We called her "Patches" then and loved the flying. Your site might want to mention the re-engined units now flown by ROK and Thailand, who put old 130 props and engines onto the beast. Also, Patches had about 1500 hits...the AIRMAN magazine did an article on her when she passed "just" 500! 12/07/2006 @ 19:14 [ref: 14945] |
| Herb Tatum Fort Worth, TX | Recently read John Halliwell's book
"FLYING THROUGH MIDNIGHT"! An EXCELLENT READ! This is a good book to give you an idea what the C-123K can do, and the courage of the crews who manned the controls and performed their duties for the cause of FREEDOM! Thanks, John Halliwell, for your contribution of sharing the mission and some of the experiences of those who flew as crewmembers on the C-123K! Thanks, fellow C-123K crewmembers, for your contributions, sacrifices, loyalty and dedication to fight for freedom. That same fight continues in other parts of the world today!!! 09/27/2006 @ 11:18 [ref: 14303] |
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