De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
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- The correct title of this article is de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
| DHC-4 Caribou | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| The C-7 Caribou | |
| Type | STOL Transport |
| Manufacturer | de Havilland Canada |
| Maiden flight | 30 July 1958 |
| Status | Active in RAAF |
| Primary users | United States Army Royal Australian Air Force |
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou (known in the US military as CV-2 and C-7 Caribou) was designed as a specialized transport with short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. It was first flown in 1958.
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[edit] Design and development
de Havilland Canada's third STOL design was a big step up in size compared to its earlier DHC Beaver and DHC Otter, and was the first DHC design powered by two engines. The Caribou, however, was similar in concept in that it was designed as a rugged STOL utility. The Caribou was primarily a military tactical transport that in commercial service found itself a small niche in cargo hauling. The United States Army ordered 173 in 1959 and took delivery in 1961 under the designation AC-1 which then changed to CV-2 Caribou.
The majority of Caribou production was destined for military operators, but the type's ruggedness and excellent STOL capabilities also appealed to a select group of commercial users. US certification was awarded on 23 December 1960. AnsettMAL, which operated a single example in the New Guinea highlands, and AMOCO Ecuador were early customers, as was Air America, (a CIA front in South East Asia during the Vietnam War era for covert operations). Other civil Caribou aircraft entered commercial service after being retired from their military users.
Today only a handful are in civil use.
[edit] US combat service
de Havilland Canada designed the DHC-4 in response to a US Army requirement for a tactical airlifter to supply the battlefront with troops and supplies and evacuate casualties on the return journey. With assistance from Canada's Department of Defence Production, DHC built a prototype demonstrator that flew for the first time on 30 July 1958.
Impressed with the DHC4's STOL capabilities and potential, the US Army ordered five for evaluation as YAC-1s and went on to become the largest Caribou operator. The AC-1 designation was changed in 1962 to CV-2, and then C-7 when the US Army's CV-2s were transferred to the US Air Force in 1967. US and Australian Caribou saw extensive service during the Vietnam conflict.
The U.S. Army purchased 159 of the aircraft and they served their purpose well as a tactical transport during the Vietnam War, where larger cargo aircraft such as the C-123 Provider and the C-130 Hercules could not land on the shorter landing strips. The aircraft could carry 32 troops or two Jeeps or similar light verhicles. The rear loading ramp could also be used for parachute dropping.
In 1967, a political decision was made by the United States Air Force who, believing that all fixed-wing aircraft operations were its own province, demanded that the Army turn over the Caribou. The Army ultimately traded the Caribou to the Air Force in exchange for an end to restrictions on Army helicopter operations. In addition, some US Caribou were captured by North Vietnamese forces and remained in service with that country through to the late 1970s.
Most of the C-7s have since been phased out of the US military. Other notable military operators included Canada, Malaysia, India and Spain. The Royal Australian Air Force still operates 14 Caribous.
[edit] Specifications
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.General characteristics
- Crew:
- Length: ()
- Wingspan: ()
- Height: ()
Performance
| C-7 Caribou | ||
|---|---|---|
| Description | ||
| Role | STOL utility transport | |
| Crew | 3 | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 72.58 ft | 22.12 m |
| Wingspan | 95.58 ft | 29.13 m |
| Height | 31.66 ft | 9.65 m |
| Wing area | 912 ft² | 84.7 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 18,260 lb (B variant) | 8,283 kg |
| Loaded | 31,000 lb | 14,198 kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | Two Pratt and Whitney R-2000-7M2 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder | |
| Power | 1,450 hp | 1081 kW |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 216 mph | 348 km/h |
| Combat range | 1,307 mi | 2,103 km |
| Ferry range | 242 mi | 389 km |
| Service ceiling | 24,800 ft (B) | 7,559 m |
| Rate of climb | 1,355 ft/min | 413 m/min |
[edit] Operators
- Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Australia (RAAF), Cameroon, Canada (RCAF), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia (retired from active service), Oman, Spain, South Vietnam, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United States (US Army, US Air Force, Air America), Zambia,
[edit] Reference
- Hotson, Fred W. The de Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN 0-07-549483-3.
[edit] External links
[edit] Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
- de Havilland Canada: DHC-1 - DHC-2 - DHC-3 - DHC-4 - DHC-5 - DHC-6 - DHC-7
- U.S (C) : C-4 - C-5 - C-6 - C-7 - C-8 - C-9 - KC-10
- U.S. (V): OV-1 Mohawk - CV-2 - XV-3 - XV-4 - XV-5
See also
Gipsy Moth • Tiger Moth • Fox Moth • Mosquito • DHC-1 Chipmunk • DHC-2 Beaver • DHC-3 Otter • DHC-4 Caribou • DHC-5 Buffalo • DHC-6 Twin Otter • DHC-7 Dash 7 • DHC-8 Dash 8
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.
