My beloved "Cat House"

[Brad]

We had this C-123 up in Washington for a few years before it went to a private owner down in Florida. She was working fine when I last flew on her but now is needing about $50,000 to get in the air again. I sure wish somebody with the cash to spend would buy her.

(The pictures were all taken by me except for the ones taken from the ground of the old girl in flight. They were taken by Curt, one of the museum volunteers."

Last edited by Brad on Wed Nov 15, 2006 6:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Elroy13]

Is she just sitting there on a ramp somewhere in Florida?? Or did something else happen to her?

[dj51d]

Thanks for posting these, I sure do miss having the C-123 around. I used to see it fly once in a while when Amjet had it.

[Tulio]

This same C-123 used to sit at the Anoka-Blaine airport around 2000.


Saludos,

Tulio

[retroaviation]

What a cool ol' airplane! I don't know what it is, but I sure like an awful lot of ugly airplanes. It would be very cool to see that one on the airshow circuit.

Gary

[RickH]

Gary, it's a Fairchild C-123 Provider. The design started out as a glider. Hang a couple of R-2800s on it and you've got a pretty impressive cargo hauler. Add a couple of jets on it and things really get interesting.

There are still a few quarantined out at AMARC. Supposedly they are contaminated with Agent Orange or some other equally nasty substance.

Think about the movie Air America, you've seen them before.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Think about the movie Air America, you've seen them before.

And "Conair", "Iron Eagle III", and "Outbreak", everytime Hollywood needs an "Air Force Type" Transport, it seems they pull the C-123 in for stunt duty!
I'm not complaining, "Conair" has some great air-to-air footage of the Provider. I just never saw a C-123 with a fuselage inside that was wider than a 747!

I use to see a lot of the 123's in the late 1970's as they had a bunch at Westover AFB in Mass. THey use to run by UCONN when I was in college and we'd watch the low level parade several times a year. Their route took'em right by my dorm. It was great! We'd get a bunch of beer and sit and watch.
Miss them a lot!
Jerry

[retroaviation]

Gary, it's a Fairchild C-123 Provider.

Think about the movie Air America, you've seen them before.

Yeah, I'm familiar with them, just couldn't think of the model number earlier. Still a cool ride, no matter what you call it.

Gary

[Former Member]

I love the artwork Brad ...thanks for sharing the pics!

John

[Eric Friedebach]

Air Heritage has one.

IIRC the aircraft was used for a movie called “The Naked Man” around ten years ago. I’m too scared to ask for the title at the video rental place.

[slinky]

They also had a early version that was ALL jet ala B-47 looking twin engine pod on each wing. Strange looking machine.... And didn't they even make one into a float version with wingtip floats?

[RickH]

Yep

[Chris]

I think there is still one parked at Deer Valley in Phx, Az. Maybe Herr Gunsch can confirm. Over to you Matt!