C-123 Provider
Here was an altogether remarkable aircraft. The Chase Aircraft G-20 cargo glider evolved through stages into the C-123 Provider. This cargo aircraft began its career in 1949 when it was produced by Chase Aircraft as a heavy assault glider. From the G-20, Chase developed into the XC-123 in 1949 with a 67-troop capacity and the SC-123A in 1951. The first prototype XC-123 made its initial flight on October 14, 1949, powered by two 2,200 horsepower R2800-23 piston engines. A second prototype was built as the XG-20 glider. It was later flown as the XC-123A with four J-47 turbojet engines first flew April 21, 1951, as the first all-jet Air Force cargo transport.
In either case, the aircraft was very maneuverable at low speeds. This made the powered version an excellent tactical transport. It featured high-mounted wings and tail surfaces on a pod-type fuselage which made for easy rear end, unobstructed on and off loading. Because of its powerful engines, it showed superior ability to operate in short field landings and take offs. It could carry 61 fully equipped troops for assault or evacuate 50 patients on litters plus six attendants. The full-section rear ramp door made this an ideal aircraft for support of airborne operations from 1950s into the 1970s.
The production version, with two piston engines, was designated the C-123B. Chase began deliver of C-123As in 1952. However, in 1953, after Kaiser-Frazier acquired a controlling interest in the company but experienced deliver problems, the Air Force cancelled the contract for C-123Bs. The Fairchild Corporation then bid on and won the contract for 300 C-123Bs, which they built between 1954 and 1958.
During its early career, C-123s were often used as transports for paratroopers. Later, in the Vietnam era, it became an all purpose tactical aircraft often working with special forces. The C-123 was the primary aircraft used in Operation Ranch Hand, the spraying of the jungle with a defoliaging agent to clear vegetation to help stop enemy troop movements. This C-123 was originally delivered to the Air Force as a C-123B which was the first production series and was later modified to a C-123K.
Some had two small jet engines added to their outer wings to give them improved takeoff performance from short runways. In 1966, some models, including this aircraft, were fitted with auxiliary powerplants in a pylon-mounted 2,850 lbs. thrust GE J-85 turbojet outboard of each engine. These were for emergency use. Of the 300 built, 183 were converted to C-123K which have underwing auxiliary jets, and 10 were converted to C-123H which are equipped with wing tip jets.
This short range transport, nicknamed “Thunder Pig,” was used predominately in the 1960’s and 70’s to haul beans, bullets and the like onto short runways and makeshift airstrips.
The existence of the CV-7 Caribou in the Army inventory changed the Fairchild C-123 "Provider." This latter aircraft was scheduled to be phased out of the active Air Force inventory in 1961, with a few programmed to the reserves and the remainder to be declared surplus. When Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara suggested that the Air Force turn over the C-123's to the Army (to train on this type aircraft prior to the receipt of the Caribou), the Air Force suddenly discovered new and pressing Air Force requirements for the C-123. Thus the Army Caribou protagonists not only pushed the Caribou into being, but-incidentally-saved the C-123 for much-needed duty in Vietnam.
The Provider appeared in Vietnam in 1962 for use on a variety of missions. They included airdrops of troops, ammunition, food and other supplies as well as chemical spraying, mercy flights, rescues, air evacuation and delivery of fuel bladders. The first C-123 squadron to be assigned to the 1st Air Commando Wing, the 1775th Troop Carrier Squadron, transferred from Pope AFB, April 15, 1964, and was redesignated the 317th TCS Commando July 1. At Khe Sanh combat base, South Vietnam, C-123s resupplied marines during the siege initially by landing on runway then by low altitude parachute drops.
On 12 May 1968, the crew of Bookie 771, a C-123 piloted by Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Joe M. Jackson attempted the rescue of a three-man USAF combat control team (CCT) from the Special Forces Camp at Kham Duc, South Vietnam. Vietcong forces had overrun the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip. They were raking the camp with small arms, mortars, light and heavy automatic weapons, and recoilless rifle fire. The camp was engulfed in flames and ammunition dumps were continuously exploding and littering the runway with debris. In addition, eight aircraft had been destroyed by the intense enemy fire and one aircraft remained on the runway, reducing its usable length to only 2,200 feet.
To effect the rescue, Lt Col Jackson would have to stop his aircraft in a hurry, but using reverse thrust to slow the C-123 would automatically shut off the two jets that would be needed for a minimum-run takeoff. Meanwhile, the weather above the field was deteriorating rapidly leaving time for only one airstrike prior to the landing. Although fully aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, Lt Colonel Jackson elected to attempt the rescue.
Nine thousand feet high and rapidly approaching the landing area, Lt Col Jackson pointed the aircraft’s nose down in a steep dive. With full aileron and full opposite rudder the C-123 fell out of the sky. Approaching tree-top level, Lt Col Jackson coaxed the aircraft’s nose up breaking the dizzying decent one quarter mile from the end of the runway.
Taken by surprise, enemy gunners opened fire on the C-123 as it neared the strip. Successfully negotiating the gauntlet of fire, Lt Col Jackson landed the aircraft and brought it to a stop 1,100 feet down runway. The crew could see bullets striking all around them and could hear the sound of enemy guns and mortars above the roar of their four engines. As the CCT scrambled aboard, Jackson turned the airplane to depart to the north, over the same end of the runway he had landed on.
Despite the fact that the enemy had fired at Bookie 771 while it was descending, while it was on the runway, and while it was climbing out, the aircraft did not sustain a single hit. For his heroic actions at Kham Duc, Lt Col Joe M. Jackson was awarded the Medal of Honor becoming the only airlift crewmember to win a Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.
The C-123 saw much service in the Vietnam War, and the UC-123 was used extensively in the controversial Operation Ranch Hand. The mission’s goal was to defoliate the jungles of Vietnam, exposing hiding places and eliminating food sources of the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army. Successful defoliation required dangerous tactics. The unarmed Provider would sweep in low and slow, straight into enemy fire, to deliver the potent herbicide known as Agent Orange. As a result, Ranch Hand aircraft were shot at and hit more frequently than any other Air Force unit in the Vietnam War.
Several were converted to AC-123K gunships with multisensors for for counterinsurgency efforts, attacking ground forces with 7.62mm miniguns. Besides the USAF and the U.S. Coast Guard, other operators of this aircraft were Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, and Venezuela. Production stopped in September 1969.
In March 1964 the Royal Thai Air Force requested two C-123 aircraft with Royal Thai Air Force markings to allow the Thai contingent to function as an integral unit and to show the Thai flag more prominently in South Vietnam. General Westmoreland and MACV did grant the request for C-123's; the commander of the Pacific Air Force was asked to provide the aircraft. The commander stated that C-123 aircraft were not available from the United States and recommended bringing Thai pilots to South Vietnam to fly two C-123's owned and maintained by the United States but carrying Thai markings. Arrangements were made to have these pilots in Vietnam not later than 15 July, assuming the Thai crew members could meet the minimum proficiency standards by that time. The crews, consisting of twenty-one men, became operational on 22 July 1966 and were attached to the US 315th Air Commando Wing for C-123 operations. Five men remained with the Vietnamese Air Force, where they were assigned to fly C-47 aircraft. The Royal Thai Air Force strength in South Vietnam was now twenty-seven.
While the C-130E model's performance was an improvement upon that of both the C-119 and C-123, the aircraft it was designed to replace, its 18- to 23-ton payload could not compete with the cargo-carrying capability of aging C-97, C-121, and C-124 aircraft.
