De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou. A photo. Characteristics.

2014-12-12

other

Canada

A type: Twin-engine tactical transport aircraft vysokoplan

Capacity: A crew of two and thirty-two paratroopers

Aircraft DHC-4 was built in an attempt to combine the aircraft payload C-47 the characteristics STOL aircraft "Beaver" and "Otter". As with previous aircraft company "De Havilland Keneda" aircraft "Caribou» (Caribou - Reindeer) it was simple and incredibly agile. Its characteristics STOL (achieved by means of a wing equipped with around two-slit flaps scale) did not correspond to the plane of its size.

Even before the first prototype flew. The US Army ordered five aircraft for evaluation tests (under the designation YAC-1), and after extensive tests ordered 159 aircraft. The total number of built aircraft was 304 copies. The first aircraft went into operation in 1961 under the designation AS-1, but the following year it was replaced by 01-2. Able to carry 32 paratrooper, 26 paratroopers, 22 stretcher, two fully loaded jeeps or three tons of cargo, the aircraft is able to fly to advanced airfields, from where the paratroopers will be able to complete their "journey" by helicopters.

In Vietnam, the US Army planes side by side with the aircraft "Caribou" Australian Royal Air Force took part in many dangerous operations. In 1967 was transferred to the US Air Force "Caribou" 134 remaining aircraft received the new designation C-7A. Aircraft C-7A were decommissioned at the end of 1970-ies. A small number of aircraft "Caribou" remained in service in the Royal Air Force of Australia, as well as the Air Force Cameroon and Malaysia.

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