AU-23 Fairchild Peacemaker
The AU-23 is an all-metal, light-weight, high-wing monoplane manufactured by Fairchild Industries. It has a rectangular, strut-braced wing of constant profile over the entire span. The wing has four mechanically and interconnected inboard and outboard double-slotted, electrically operated flaps. The aircraft has a fixed, conventional landing gear. The pitch axis is controlled by a conventional elevator with electrical and manual trim. Aileron trim is electric and rudder trim is manual. The AU-23A is powered by an Airesearch Model TPE331-1-101 turboprop engine, flat-rated at 650 shaft horsepower (shp). The engine is equipped with a 3-bladed, constant-speed, full-feathering Hartzell propeller that has beta and reverse ranges. The aircraft has five ordnance stations, four wing pylons, and a fuselage pylon. The aft cabin is configured to mount the XM-197 20-mm automatic gun system. Maximum gross weight of the aircraft is 6,100 pounds.
Fairchild Industries ran late in delivering the required number of Peacemakers, so that, well before the test could begin, enemy troops, massing for the March 1972 invasion, dominated the area near Pleiku chosen for the combat evaluation. The tactical situation in South Vietnam and southern Laos combined with the withdrawal of U.S. manpower to force the transfer of all tests to Eglin Air Force Base.
