Fairchild C-26 Metroliner
C-26 "Metroliner" | |
---|---|
RC-26B aircraft of the Florida Air National Guard | |
Role | Military transport aircraft |
Manufacturer | Fairchild Aircraft |
Status | Active, not in production |
Primary users | United States Air Force United States Army United States Navy |
Developed from | Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner |
The Fairchild C-26 "Metroliner" is the designation for the
Design and development
The United States Air Force bought eleven C-26A aircraft based on the SA227-AC,[3][4] two of these being supplied to the Venezuelan Air Force.[5][6] The first three C-26Bs were procured later in the 1980s, two for the US Army and one for the USAF. These three had been built as SA227-BC models. Later C-26Bs were the military equivalent of the Metro 23 and the USAF took delivery of 37 examples. Some of these were transferred to the Peruvian Air Force and the US Army, while six were transferred to the US Navy as C-26Ds.[4][7][8] The US Army also took a second-hand Merlin IVC and operated it as the solitary UC-26C.[9]
A Metro III, c/n AC-614, was modified as the Fairchild Aircraft/Lockheed Multi Mission Surveillance Aircraft, featuring a
The U.S. Navy operates several C-26D aircraft, modified for range support, at the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands in Hawaii.[17][18]
Operational history
In early June 2020, the US National Guard deployed an RC-26B to El Dorado Hills near Sacramento, California, apparently in response to a walking tour by young black entrepreneurs.[19] The deployment occurred without the knowledge or approval of Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California.[19] Three more RC-26Bs were used to observe demonstrators in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.[20][19]
In January 2023, the U.S. Air Force retired its RC-26B Condors.[21][22]
Variants
- C-26A
- Military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-AC).
- C-26B
- Military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-BC) and Metro 23 (Model SA227-DC).
- RC-26B
- C-26B modified with electronic surveillance equipment for drug interdiction missions.[23] Ten remain in service with the Air National Guard as of March 2019.[16]
- UC-26C
- Was a used 1983-built Merlin IVC operated for several years as 89-1471.[9] Modified with an integrated sensor package including forward-looking infrared and high resolution radar.
- C-26D
- C-26Bs transferred from USAF inventory and modified with new navigation equipment for the US Navy, four used for rapid response cargo and passenger transportation in Europe.
- EC-26D
- One range support aircraft operated by the US Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands.
- RC-26D
- Two range support aircraft operated by the US Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands with installed radar units.
- C-26E
- Upgrade of 11 C-26B aircraft including an improved Rockwell Collins Proline 21 Electronic Flight Instrument System.
Operators
- Barbados
- Barbados Air Wing – Regional Security System 2 C-26A[24]
- Colombia
- Colombian Air Force
- Colombian National Police
- Mexico
- Mexican Air Force - 2 as of December 2018.[25]
- Peru
- Peruvian Air Force - 3 as of December 2018.[26]
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard - 2 as of December 2018.[27]
- United States
- Venezuela
- Venezuelan Air Force - 1 as of December 2018.[29]
Former
- United States
Specifications (C-26A)
General characteristics
- Crew: two
- Capacity: 22/14 passengers
- Length: 59 ft 4 in (12.85 m)
- Wingspan: 57 ft 0 in (14.01 m)
- Height: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
- Max takeoff weight: 14,000 lb (6,400 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 625 gal (2,370 L)
- Powerplant: 2 × Allied Signal Garrett TPE-331-11U-601G turboprops, 1,400 hp (1,000 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 331 mph (533 km/h, 288 kn)
- Range: 2,331 mi (3,750 km, 2,025 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 31,000 ft (9,500 m)
- Power/mass: 0.2 hp/lb (337.5 W/kg)
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Beechcraft 1900
- C-12 Huron
- Saab 340
- Saab 2000
Related lists
- List of military aircraft of the United States
References
- ^ "DoD 412.15 Military" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ "Fairchild Air Force Base C-26B Metroliner page". Archived from the original on 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ "uswarplanes.net/commutertypes.html". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ a b Turboprop Production Lists Home Page Archived 2008-06-20 at the Wayback Machine Metro production list accessed via this site 25 August 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. "USAF FY1986 Serial Number list." Archived 2015-11-08 at the Wayback Machine USAF Aircraft. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- USAFtook delivery of two aircraft serialled 86-0456 and the first (Fairchild c/n AC-745B) was passed to the FAV as 0009, the second being procured to replace that aircraft. The USAF FY1986 Serial Number list has 86-0455 (Fairchild c/n AC-744B) going to the FAV, but the other sources show it was 86-0456/AC-745B.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. "USAF FY1990 Serial Number list." [permanent dead link] USAF Aircraft. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. "USAF FY1991 Serial Number list." [permanent dead link] USAF Aircraft. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^ a b Baugher, Joe. "USAF FY1989 Serial Number list". [permanent dead link] USAF Aircraft. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^ "Coastwatch Tender to Usher In New Age of Surveillance." Australian Aviation magazine No. 93, December 1993, pp. 24–27. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.
- ^ "C-26." Archived 2008-03-13 at the Wayback Machine Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^ Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraft Archived 2012-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraft Archived 2012-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraft Archived 2012-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraft Archived 2012-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ a b Pittaway Air International March 2019, p. 31.
- ^ Picture of the Fairchild C-26D Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraft Archived 2012-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ Picture of the Fairchild C-26D Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraft Archived 2012-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ a b c "How a surveillance plane was sent to one wealthy suburb". NBC News.
- ^ Pringle, Paul. "Spy plane was sent to monitor protest in affluent suburb, home to head of California National Guard". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ^ a b Newdick, Thomas (2023-01-04). "RC-26 Condor Surveillance Planes Meet The End Of Their U.S. Military Career". The Drive. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
- ^ Westmont, Leslie (2023-01-03). "Wisconsin Air Guard bids farewell to RC-26 mission". DVIDS. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
- ^ Airman, 2007 special edition, published by the USAF.
- ^ "RSS Air Wing". Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ^ Hoyle Flight International 4–10 December 2018, p. 49.
- ^ Hoyle Flight International 4–10 December 2018, p. 52.
- ^ Hoyle Flight International 4–10 December 2018, p. 57.
- ^ a b Hoyle Flight International 4–10 December 2018, p. 59.
- ^ Hoyle Flight International 4–10 December 2018, p. 60.
Bibliography
- Donald, David, general editor. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
- Endes, Günter. "Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro/Merlin". The Illustrated Directory of Modern Commercial Aircraft. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1125-0.
- Frawley, Gerard. "Fairchild Dornier Metro II, III & 23". The International Directory of Civil Aircraft. Canberra: Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd., 1997. ISBN 1-875671-26-9.
- Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International. 4–10 December 2018, Vol. 194, No. 5665, pp. 32–60. ISSN 0015-3710.
- Palmer, Trisha, ed. "Swearingen Metro and Metro II/III". Encyclopedia of the World's Commercial and Private Aircraft. New York: Crescent Books, 2001. ISBN 0-517-36285-6.
- Pittaway, Nigel. "Elbit to upgrade Condors". ISSN 0306-5634