Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was the leading, and most numerous, military cargo and paratroop transport of the United States Armed Services throughout the 1950s Cold War era. The Korean War saw the Boxcar earn its keep in the vital role of aerial resupply to U.S. forces, and it returned to front line duties during the Vietnam War as an armed aerial gunship.
This reference manual records the full service histories, both military and civil, of all 1,185 C-119 Flying Boxcars built. Cross-referenced production lists and tables are supported by multiple comprehensive appendices recording combat losses, accidents and surviving craft.

Simon D. Beck has had a lifelong passion for aviation history, both military and civil. Living in Christchurch, New Zealand, he has written a previous book about aviation films and penned many aviation articles.

Simon D. Beck
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 451
Bibliographic Info: 77 photos, appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9607-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5367-9
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments    vi

Preface    1

Abbreviations    3

Introduction    9

Section One—Technical Data    13

Section Two—Military Operators    41

Section Three—Civil Operators & Owners    135

Section Four—Service Histories    152

Appendix I: USAF & USMC Tail Codes    421

Appendix II: ­C-119 Retirement Bases & Disposals    423

Appendix III: Civil Registration ­Cross-Reference    430

Appendix IV: Civil Airtankers    432

Appendix V: Aircraft Losses    433

Appendix VI: Extant Airframes    439

Bibliography    443

Index    445