Are there any extant C-122 aircraft?

[Greg_in_Ohio]

This is my first post on this forum, so please be gentle if I mistakenly violate the sacred forum protocol.

Have any C-122 aircraft have survived to the present day? Even though this was not a terribly successful military aircraft, it would be interesting to see one.

Greg Spahr
Fairborn, Ohio

[RMAllnutt]

Not sure how old this image is, but at least one made it on the civil register...

[RMAllnutt]

Looks like this one was destroyed... see here for photos of 3 civil examples, plus some interesting stories.

Only made 11 of them, but it did evolve into the C-123. I have a stearing wheel cap from one, with the Chase logo....

Cheers,
Richard

http://www.flyinghigher.net/chase/FH001.html

[JBoyle]

On the Braugher serial number site I came across the listing for them.
After being surplused, one was lost flying over the Carribian...lend itself to Bermuda triangle nonsense.

BTW: wasn't one in Thunderball?

BTW II: My dad had some time in one when they were still in the Air Force. When and with what unit I don't know...but I could look it up in his records if anyone is interested.

[51fixer]

Chris Stoltzfus had 2 in the late 50s across the road from MQS.
He also had 2 FM-2s, now with Yagen and Camp, B-17- now with EAA and TBMs among others.
Interesting that his airport was across the road from Chester County Airport.
His Grandkids started Preferred Airparts in OH.
Rich

http://www.preferredairparts.com/grandfather.htm

[Obergrafeter]

Weren't these gliders first?

[Greg_in_Ohio]

As near as I can tell, here is the total production for this airframe, 18 examples having been constructed. The first 7 were built as gliders, and one of these was converted to radial engine.

46-0067 XCG-18A
46-0506 XCG-18A
47-0640 YG-18A
47-0641 YG-18A, converted to YC-122
47-0642 YG-18A
47-0643 YG-18A
47-0644 YG-18A
48-1369 YC-122A
48-1370 YC-122A, converted to YC-122B
49-2879 YC-122C
49-2880 YC-122C
49-2881 YC-122C
49-2882 YC-122C
49-2883 YC-122C, converted to X-18
49-2884 YC-122C
49-2885 YC-122C
49-2886 YC-122C
49-2887 YC-122C

[tom d. friedman]

greg, welcome fellow buckeye!! you are among friends!!

[Greg_in_Ohio]

Thanks for the replies, folks. I was hoping maybe someday one of these odd former USAF planes could find its way to the museum here in Dayton, but it is probably not to be.

[Steve Nelson]

Well, the museum does have a YC-125..it's even uglier!

SN

[Greg_in_Ohio]

Well, the museum does have a YC-125..it's even uglier!

SN

Yeah, that's a wierd looking beast.

Sometimes I am surprised at the planes that aren't in the museum here. Of planes that were produced in quantity for the Air Force, it surprises me that there aren't examples of the following in the museum, for example:

KC-135 configured as a tanker
C-9A
C-21
C-27
C-122

And just for me, they should also locate and display the following to round out the Century Series display:

F-101A or C
TF-102
F-104B or D
F-106B

Even more interesting is the list of aircraft that have been scrapped here in Dayton over the years by the museum. This is all off the top of my head:

RB-36E (former YB-36, to Soplata. See my avatar for a pic of this plane immediately after its final flight to the museum in '57)
XB-47 #1(at one time sectioned in half and displayed inside the museum)
XB-52 (Burned mid 60's to early 70's)
YB-52 (Burned mid 60's to early 70's)
YC-124 (Former C-74, Burned mid 60's to early 70's)
F-89 (not sure of the model/serial, discovered buried in the ground here during the 1990's, severely burned but recognizable)
B-45 (not sure of model/serial)
B-47E 53-6244 (on display as gate guard 1971-1979, parts removed to restore B-47 at New England Air Museum that was hit by tornado, then remains burned over several years early 80's)
RF-84K 51-1847 (cut up for scrap 1990's)
B-52B 53-0394 (removed from display 1978 and allowed to deteriorate, scrapped in 1984)

[gliderman1]

Quotes from my paper on this rear loading design:
---------
"The original hatred of the Glider Branch reared its head again. The Structures Branch and the Aeronautical Branch were deeply involved in moving into the jet age. Their responses went like this: the designs were the “dirtiest they had seen in a while”, “The separation on the rear surfaces will be terrible”, “You will never be able to open those doors in flight”, “Have you any wild-ass guess how we will reinforce that door frame?

The Aeronautical Branch would not even allow Stowe wind tunnel time to test the air flow of the models. Eventually Stowe was allowed wind tunnel time and the instrument reading confirmed Stowe’s calculations. The wind tunnel engineers were certain the instruments had failed so they changed them and ran the tests again. Of course, the results were the same as the first test. The G-18 glider became the C-122. The G-20 glider became the C-123, followed by the C-130 and C-141 and today, the C-17.

All of these aircraft owe their rear loading door system design to Jack Laister, Lew Stowe and the Glider Branch."
-------

If you are interested in this story email me. I will then request a stamped, self addressed envelope to mail the printed article with color and B&W photos.

gliderman.one@verizon.net

[Steve T]

Very interesting...hadn't stopped to think that not only had the C-123 evolved from a glider design, but by extension so had the whole of the now-orthodox tactical transport layout!

BTW, re the scrapped-off USAFM airframes, Walt Soplata famously acquired (from the scrapman, not from the museum) and roaded-home most of the YB-36, yes; but it's less well known that Walt also has the forward fuselage and part of the fin from the former USAFM B-52B "City Of El Paso", having obtained those parts circa 1985.

S.