|
Description
| Manufacturer: | Chase | |
| Base model: | C-122 | |
| Designation: | C-122 | |
| Version: | A | |
| Nickname: | Avitruc | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1925-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Transport | |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Tom Beasley EDmond, OK | I was stationed at Ardmore with the 463rd group 772nd sqdn from 1955 until it was closed in Dec 58. We had C-119G's and changed to the first C-130A's. I remember the C-122's very well and I remember when they left and the 309th formed with their C-123's and eventulaly rotated to France. For years I would tell people about the C-122 and they laughed me out of town, telling me no such aircraft ever existed. I remember the dirt runway landings they practiced and how the dust flew everywhere. Well it did exisst and I enjoyed the Nvigators piece about haveing flown on them. Today Ardmore is a junk yard for old commercial aircraft, well a salvage yard actually. 06/03/2008 @ 07:46 [ref: 21100] |
| Boyd Butler Kennewick, WA | That C122 in Alaska was probably the one that was owned by North Star Avation later on. I helped load parts for a B25 that we modified for fire use in the late 60s into it along with other things. That was at Boeing Field in Seattle. One of the strange things was its cockpit area, a flat bulkhead behind it with a walk thru door, two doors in the cockpit area,one on each side. The pilot and copilot just kind of sat on this slab of metal with an insturment panel siticking out of it with two seats attached. Very spartan as it looked like an afterthought.The construction of the Fuse was tube steel with alumium over it,very strainge. Bob something owned it and flew it down. 11/26/2007 @ 09:55 [ref: 18674] |
| Greg Wood Orange Park, FL | In remembering that at least three privatly owned C-122's were on the West ramp @ Ft Lauderdale/Hollywood getting some minor maint work done by Frank Hill Inc in late 1950's I ask this question. Does the name "Grasshopper" ring any bells with any that might know this aircraft. For some reason, over the years I have remembered (clearly) one, two, or all three acft bore the name "Grasshopper".
I understand perfectly that the military proper name was "Avitruc", but is it possible that the surplus aircraft wee marketed as "Grasshoppers". It's just been one of those little airplane things that is unresolved ? GW 02/21/2007 @ 05:18 [ref: 15606] |
| Bill Galloway Denton, TX | I recall assisting a friend in changing out spark plugs on a C-122 in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1973. The Aircraft was at the Van Horn Airport. He told me it was going to be used by a contractor hauling supplies for the construction of the pipeline. I wish I had taken some photos now. My friend has passed away and I don't know if the plane is still around. 12/17/2005 @ 05:18 [ref: 12006] |
| Bob Moyer Oneonta, NY | The 9 C-122's mentioned above were transferred to the 10th Troop Carrier Squadron, Ardmore AFB, Ardmore Oklahoma. I was assigned to that squadron in May,1955 as a Navigator. At that time the squadron was receiving personnel sufficient to form the 309th Troop Carrier Group (Assult Fixed Wing) and begin receiving 48 C-123's from Fairchild. I am not sure when we delivered the last C-122 to Davis Montham AFB. Probably in the spring of 1956. The squadron had only 8 aircraft when I arrived and 8 were taken to DMAFB. I was told that one aircraft had been totaled in an assult landing. As the squadron PIO, I drafted a press release upon that delivery stating that the C-122 was the only aircraft ever in active service that had not claimed the life of a single airman. I was not allowed to publish that release as it would have reflected badly on the USAF. I was told that the airframes of C-122 at DMAFB were later used in the development of early verticle take-off transports. The C-122A was the forerunner of USAF military cargo/troup carrier planes of the future as well as those of many othe nations. C-123,C130,C-133,C-141,C-5, C-17.
The 309th Group deployed with its C-123's to Dreux France in June 1956. 10/29/2005 @ 07:37 [ref: 11603] |
| Eugene Wallace Bossier City, LA | I was stationed at Sewart AFB,Tennessee from July 53 until Feb. 56 and remenber a squadron of C-122's that was transfered to Oklahoma, I think it was to Altus AFB. about 1955.I always wondered how much longer they were in service. Eugene Wallace U.S.A.F.retired 07/15/2005 @ 16:40 [ref: 10764] |
| Rex Lowe Pittsburgh, PA | Interestingly enough, the work, which led to the C-122 and C-123 transport aircraft, began with testing of an old C-47, minus engines, in 1943-45. The tests involved towing a motor less Dakota behind a C-54 four-engine transport. Since the C-47 was such a slow aircraft, it was decided to replace the aging fleet of C-47 Dakotas with the 250mph C-54. Gliders with troops and sometimes equipment were towed behind the C-47's. Since the glider-borne forces of the US military were still using metal tube and doped fabric construction, it was necessary to find a viable alternative to the rather flimsy glider construction, at least a design capable of being towed by the faster airplane.
Meanwhile, the Chase aircraft firm was designing two new all metal glider types, the YCG-18A [47-641] and the YGC-20. With encouraging results from the engineless C-47 tow and glide tests, it was thought the further development of the metal gliders would prove productive. However, events, including the end of WWII would intervene. In 1947 the USAF was formed, succeeding from the United States Army Air Forces, and it was interested in breaking speed and altitude records. Glider aircraft would no longer hold much interest, but transport planes would be needed. The two Chase glider designs would receive engine installations and become the new wave of transports. While the YGC-18/C-122 had no tailgate/hatch, the overall design layout would dictate the high-wing troop and cargo transport designs through present. The first of this type was powered by two 1100hp P&W R-2000 Twin Wasps and first flew 11/18/48. Two more aircraft were constructed in 1948 as the C-122A Avitruc, with two 1350hp R-2000's supplying power. Dimensions for this aircraft were, span: 95'8" length: 61'8", range: 2900 miles, gross wt: 32,000 lbs. One of these aircraft was with repowered with 1425hp Wright R-1820s as the C-122B in 1949. In 1949, nine C-122C's were ordered. The XG-20 glider was fitted with two 1900hp P&W R-2800-83 as the XC-123 [47-786]and first flown 10/14/49 and 1 as the C-123A Provider(with four paired J47s under wing and first flown 4/21/51 as the first US jet transport [47-787].) Further production was as the Fairchild C-123 Provider and it's variants, with and without jet engines. This type flies on today for several nations and private companies. 08/11/2003 @ 10:29 [ref: 6621] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
