Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar

North American AT-6D Harvard H-15 being loaded aboard Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar CP-15/OT-CAO at Melsbroek airbase on November 20th, 1953.

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar

Twin engined transport aircraft

Because modern aviation offered a number of practical solutions to improve the connection between Belgium and its African colony Congo a first batch of 18 Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcars (the "F" type is easily identifiable by the lack of fins below the twin booms) was ordered in the early fifties. Deliveries started in 1952 and replaced a large number of Douglas C-47B Dakotas which were much smaller and had a smaller operational radius). In September 1955 all C119Fs were administratively returned to the U.S. Air Force; however they remained stored at Melsbroek airbase. Between June and September 1956 eight aircraft were transferred to the Royal Norwegian Air Force via the US MDAP programme. The remaining ten aircraft remained stored until they were bought back by the Belgian Government. In 1956 all of these aircraft were upgraded to C-119G standards by Sabena.

Picture	Serial	C/N	Date In	Date Out	History
	CP-3	10683	Sep 1952	Sep 1955	51-2694, CP-3/OT-CAC, 51-2694, Upgraded to "G" standards as CP-14/OT-CAN
	CP-4	10684	Sep 1952	Sep 1955	51-2695, CP-4/OT-CAD, 12695/BW-E "Elmer" (Norwegian Air Force), Crashed on landing on 6 Dec 1968
	CP-7	10687	Oct 1952	Sep 1955	51-2698, CP-7/OT-CAG, 51-2698, 12698/BW-F "Fiimbeck" (Norwegian AF), 51-2698, MASDC/CJ302, scrapped 1976
	CP-10	10690	Oct 1952	Sep 1955	51-2701, CP-10/OT-CAJ, Upgraded to "G" standards as CP-10
	CP-12	10692	Oct 1952	Sep 1955	51-2703, CP-12/OT-CAL, Upgraded to "G" standards as CP-12
	CP-15	10695	Oct 1952	Sep 1955	51-2706, CP-15/OT-CAO, Upgraded to "G" standards as CP-15

	CP-xx	-	-	-	Delivery of the first still unmarked C-119F Flying Boxcar to the Belgian Air Force at Melsbroek airbase on 24 September 1952.

Supplementary detailed information at

Last updated 18/03/12 18:24 Daniel Brackx

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