History
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) is an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute. The first C-119 made its initial flight in November 1947, and by the time production ceased in 1955, more than 1,100 had been built.
Development
The Air Force C-119 and Navy R4Q were developments of the earlier C-82A Packet, of which 223 were built between 1945 and 1948. The Packet had provided limited service to the Air Force’s Tactical Air Command and Military Air Transport Service before its design was found to have several serious problems. Though the C-82A continued in service until replaced, some of these issues were addressed in the C-82B which first flew in 1947. The C-82B would later be re-classified as the C-119.
To improve pilot visibility, enlarge the cargo area, and streamline aerodynamics, the C-119 cockpit was moved forward to fit flush with the nose, rather than over the cargo compartment. The correspondingly longer fuselage resulted in more usable cargo space and larger loads than the C-82 could accommodate. The C-119 also got new engines, with 60% more power, four-bladed props to three, and a wider and stronger airframe.
The first C-119 prototype (called the XC-82B) made its initial flight in November 1947, with deliveries of C-119Bs from Fairchild’s Hagerstown, Maryland factory beginning in December 1949
