Stroukoff YC-134

YC-134
Role	Military transport aircraft
Manufacturer	Stroukoff Aircraft
Designer	Michael Stroukoff
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	1
Developed from	Fairchild C-123 Provider

The Stroukoff YC-134, designed in 1956, was based heavily on the

Stroukoff Aircraft Corporation

to develop an improved version of the aircraft, combining features that the company had developed for the YC-123D and YC-123E.

History

Stroukoff's work with the C-123

In 1956, Stroukoff had already gained much experience working on the C-123 Provider, having completed two contracts based on that airframe.

Its YC-123D had introduced a

stall speed

.

The YC-123E had been another experiment in improving the C-123's ability to operate wherever it might need to, introducing Stroukoff's own Pantobase system: two high-stress skis fitted to the lower fuselage, wingtip mounted floats, along with sealing the fuselage itself. This gave the YC-123E the ability to operate on water, as well as ice and snow, and with the BLC from the previous YC-123D, the new aircraft could effectively be operated from almost any runway surface available, and airstrips of shorter length.

The YC-134

The product of a US Air Force contract in 1956, a single C-123B from the -CN production block (serial 52-1627) was modified by Stroukoff Aircraft to become the YC-134. This aircraft was heavily modified with the following new features:

New Engines: The YC-134 was equipped with two 3,500 hp (2,600 kW) Wright Turbo Compound
propellers
.
Improved Control Surfaces: The YC-134's
horizontal stabilizers
were given endplates to improve directional stability. This gave the aircraft its distinctive three-tail look.
Improved landing gear: While the nosewheel from the C-123B was retained, both main gears were given a third wheel to improve weight distribution.
Fuel was no longer housed in the rear of the engine nacelles, but in an expanded center-wing fuel tank. In addition, two plumbed hardpoints for 550-gallon drop tanks were also added to each wing.
Stroukoff's BLC and Pantobase: the YC-134 was fitted with Stroukoff's own BLC and all three aircraft had they been delivered were to have been fitted with the Pantobase equipment designed for the YC-123E.

These features gave an empty weight increase over the C-123B from 31,058 lb (14,088 kg) to 37,965 lb (17,221 kg), and a maximum loaded weight increase from 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) to 74,700 lb (33,900 kg). The aircraft's cruising speed was 219 mph (352 km/h), compared to the C-123B's 190 mph (310 km/h), and the YC-134 had a 1,600-mile (2,600 km) range with a 24,000 lb (11,000 kg) payload. The BLC allowed the YC-134's take-off distance to decrease from 1,850 feet (560 m) to 750 feet (230 m), very similar to that of the YC-123D. The U.S. Air Force, however, deemed that the YC-134 did not offer substantial improvement over the C-123, nor did it have a requirement for a

piston-engined amphibious assault transport, and decided to purchase the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.^{[citation needed}

]

Specifications (YC-134A)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958–59 [1]

General characteristics

Length: 82 ft 0+3⁄4 in (25.013 m)
Wingspan: 110 ft 0 in (33.53 m)
Height: 34 ft 8+1⁄2 in (10.579 m)
Wing area: 1,234.9 sq ft (114.73 m²)
Aspect ratio: 9.8:1
Airfoil: MS8-016.64
Empty weight: 40,391 lb (18,321 kg) (equipped)
Gross weight: 74,700 lb (33,883 kg)
Fuel capacity: 1,032 US gal (859 imp gal; 3,910 L) internal fuel + 1,000 US gal (830 imp gal; 3,800 L) in underwing float tanks
Powerplant: 2 ×
Wright R-3350-89A Turbo Compound 18-cylinder 2-row air-cooled radial engines
, 3,500 hp (2,600 kW) each

Propellers: 4-bladed Aeroproducts Model A644FN-C2 fully-feathering

constant-speed propellers

Performance

Cruise speed: 250 mph (400 km/h, 220 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Range: 1,610 mi (2,590 km, 1,400 nmi) with 24,000 lb (11,000 kg) payload
Takeoff distance on land: 740 ft (230 m)
Takeoff distance on water: 1,250 ft (380 m)
Landing distance on land: 550 ft (170 m)
Landing distance on water: 750 ft (230 m)

References

^ Bridgman 1958, p. 377

Adcock, Al (1992). C-123 Provider in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications.
Bridgman, Leonard (1958). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958–59. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd.

[jawa58p377-1] Bridgman 1958, p. 377

v t e Chase and Stroukoff aircraft
Gliders	YCG-14 XCG-18 XCG-20
Powered	YC-122 C-123 XC-123A YC-134
See also: X-18

v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B–D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127² C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137² YC-137 (I) YC-137 (II) C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7² C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10² C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20² C-20A–D C-20F–J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36³ C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005-present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-767B C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unconfirmed

History

Stroukoff's work with the C-123

The YC-134

Specifications (YC-134A)

See also

References