Fairchild C-123 Provider

The C-123 Provider was a four engine military transport aircraft utilized to good effect in the Vietnam War. Design of the aircraft was of particular note in that the system was powered by both conventional propellers and by turbojet engines mounted under the wings. The aircraft served from the middle 1950's into the late 1960's and formed a vital part of United States operations in the Vietnam conflict and was utilized by a variety of Southeast Asian and Latin American customers and the United States Air Force and Coast Guard branches of service.

From a design standpoint, the C-123 was typical of operational transports of the time, sporting a lifted empennage, high-mounted wings and low landing profile for ease of use when loading and unloading the aircraft. A standard crew consisted of three personnel and a further 62 combat-ready troops could be carried aloft. Power centered around the 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-99W series Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial piston engines producing 2,300 horsepower each and were held inboard under the wings. This was further augmented by the use of 2 x General Electric brand J85-GE-17 turbojet engines held outboard under the wings. The aircraft was designed Chase Aircraft and construction undertaken by Fairchild Aircraft in which more than 300 examples were produced.

The C-123 was originally conceived of as an all-metal military glider as the XCG-20 prototype but gradually evolved into the engined derivative. The C-123 was later fielded in Vietnam where her short-take off and landing characteristics were much coveted. As such, the Provider series began to evolve into other modified versions as needed including night time operators (two converted in this fashion) and search & rescue platforms (USCG) though it was primarily used as a supply transport servicing both American and South Vietnamese elements. Some appeared as VIP transports with the most notable being General William Westmoreland's "White Whale".

The C-123 is perhaps best known for her use in Operation Ranch Hand during the conflict, an initiative designed to defoliate parts of South Vietnam in an effort to remove undergrowth as both cover and nutrition to advancing North Vietnamese troops. This was particularly of import in the Mekong Delta, where United States Navy patrol boats increasingly ran the risk of well hidden ambushes from river shorelines. Operation Ranch Hand revolved around the use of several types of herbicides produced by various corporations and included Agent Pink, Agent Green, Agent Purple, Agent Blue, Agent White and Agent Orange. Agent Orange is perhaps the most famous for the serious side effects brought about on its users and was the most widely used of the agents in the program. This particular agent was tainted with dioxin environmental pollutants and users were stricken with mysterious illnesses and generational defects after the war. A large supply of Agent Orange was manufactured in New Zealand and sent to Southeast Asia for use in the region. A small settlement was received by US veterans in 1984 though no official recognition of the effects of Agent Orange were admitted by the US government with most cases - even those brought about by foreign victims - dismissed. These "spraying" aircraft were usually noted by their "U" prefix in the designation.

The C-123 Provider was used by a variety of operators throughout her production life. These included elements in Cambodia, Taiwan, El Salvador, Laos, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Venezuela. The C-123 has even appeared in various Hollywood motion pictures - taking center stage in those productions - and include both “Con Air” and “Air America”. A silver C-123 Provider from the Vietnam conflict is on display at the United States Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, USA.

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Last Revision: 9/8/2009