C-131 Samaritan

C-131 Samaritan
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Convair C-131D Samaritan
Type	Military transport
Manufacturer	Convair
Primary users	United States Air Force United States Navy Paraguayan Air Force
Developed from	Convair 240

The Convair C-131 Samaritan was an American military transport produced from 1954 to 1956.

History

The design began life in a production requirement by American Airlines for a pressurized airliner to replace the classic Douglas DC-3. Convair's original design had two engines and 40 seats, and thus it was designated the CV-240. The first 240 flew on March 16, 1947, and production aircraft were first delivered to American on February 28, 1948. Seventy-five were delivered to American, with another fifty going to Western Airlines, Continental Airlines, Pan American Airways, KLM, and Trans Australia Airlines.

Military variants

The CV-240/340/440 series was used by the United States Air Force for medical evacuation and VIP transport and was designated as C-131 Samaritan. The first model Samaritan, the C-131A, was derived from the 240 model, and was delivered to the USAF in 1954. A trainer model, designated the T-29, was also based on the Convair 240 to instruct navigators and radio operators. The T-29 was eventually replaced by the T-43. A planned bomber training version of the T-29 (designated T-32) was never built. The 340 model was used for most C-131Ds.

The U.S. Navy used the Samaritan as the R4Y. Nearly all of the C-131s left the active inventory in the late 1970s, but Air National Guard units operated a few into the mid-1980s. The C-131 was eventually replaced by the C-9 Nightingale.

A Samaritan was the first aircraft used as a flying gunship testbed in mid-1963, in a program known as Project Tailchaser. A C-131B (#53-7820) was given a gunsight for the side window, but instead of guns it had cameras in the cargo area. Eventually the C-131 was ferried to Eglin AFB in Florida and a General Electric SUU-11A/A 7.62 mm Gatling-style Minigun was installed. Live ammunition was used and both over-water and over-land tests were successful.

Variants

C-131A

United States Air Force version of the Model 240 with seats for 37 passengers, 26 built.

HC-131A

Surplus C-131As transferred to the United States Coast Guard, 22 transferred.

MC-131A

Temporary designation used before 1962 when a C-131A was used for medivac duties with 27 stretchers.

VC-131A

Temporary designation used before 1962 when a C-131A was used as a staff transport.

C-131B

A hybrid Model 240/340 with seats for 48 passengers, 36 built.

JC-131B

C-131B converted for missile tracking, six conversions.

NC-131B

One C-131B used for permanent testing.

VC-131B

C-131B when used as a staff transport.

YC-131C

Two Model 340s flown with Alison 501D-13 engines.

C-131D

Military version of the Model 340 with seats for 44 passengers, 33 built.

VC-131D

C-131D when used as a staff transport.

C-131E

Electronic Countermeasures training version for Strategic Air Command, later designated TC-131E, 15 built and one conversion from C-131D, two transferred to United States Navy as R4Y-2.

TC-131E

C-131E redesignated.

C-131F

R4Y-1 redesignated.

RC-131F

Conversions for photo-mapping and survey, six conversions.

VC-131F

R4Y-1Z redesignated.

C-131G

R4Y-2 redesignated.

EC-131G

One C-131G modified as an electronics trainer.

RC-131G

One C-131G modified as an airways aid checking duties.

VC-131G

C-131G used as a staff transport.

C-131H

Other models converted to Model 580 turboprop standards.

NC-131H

One conversion with an extended nose incorporating a separate cockpit as a Total In-Flight Simulator,

R4Y-1

United States Navy version of the Model 340 with 44 passenger seats, redesignated C-131F in 1962, 36 built.

R4Y-1Z

United States Navy staff transports, redesignated VC-131F in 1962, one built and conversions from R4Y-1.

R4Y-2

Two C-131Es transferred to the United States Navy, redesignated C-131G in 1962, an additional 13 cancelled.

R4Y-2Q

Projected radar countermeasures version of the R4Y-2, five cancelled

R4Y-2S

Projected United States Navy Anti-Submarine Warfare trainer version, 14 on order cancelled.

XT-29

Prototype military trainer version of the Model 240 for the United States Air Force, two built.

T-29A

Initial production version for navigator training, unpressurised cabin for 14 students, 46 built.

VT-29A

T-29As converted for staff transport.

T-29B

Pressurised version with room for 10 navigator and four radio operator students, 105 built.

NT-29B

One T-29B used for permanent testing.

VT-29B

T-29B converted for staff transport with seating for 29 or 32 passengers.

T-29C

T-29B with 2500hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-29W engines, 119 built.

AT-29C

T-29C modified for airways checking duties, redesignated ET-29C in 1962.

ET-29C

AT-29C redesignated.

VT-29C

T-29C converted for staff transport.

T-29D

Bombardier training version of the T-29C with room for six students, 93 built.

ET-29D

Airways checking conversion of the T-29D.

VT-29D

Staff transport conversion of the T-29D.

XT-29E

Proposed turboprop version of T-29B, none built.

YT-32

Proposed bomber training version with transparent nose, none built.

Operators

Template:PAR

• Paraguayan Air Force operated Convair C-131

Template:USA

• United States Air Force operated T-29 and C-131 aircraft.
• United States Navy operated R4Y and C-131 aircraft.
• United States Coast Guard

Specifications (240)

General characteristics

• Length: 74 ft 8 in (22.8 m)
• Wingspan: 91 ft 9 in (28 m)
• Height: 26 ft 11 in (8.20 m)
• Wing area: 817 ft² (75.9 m²)
• Empty weight: 25,445 lb (11,540 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 42,500 lb (19,280 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney R-2800 "Double Wasp" 18 cylinder air cooled radial engines, 2,100 hp (1,567 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 315 mph (507 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 280 mph (451 km/h)
• Range: 1,200 mi (1,930 km)
• Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,880 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,520 ft/min (463 m/min)

References

• Convair 240 - National Air and Space Museum
• C-131 Samaritan factsheet - National Museum of the United States Air Force
• C-131D Samaritan - March Field Air Museum
• C-131 Samaritan - GlobalSecurity.org
• C-131 Samaritan - The Aviation Zone
• Gunships - The Aviation Zone

See also

Related development

• Convair 240
• CC-109 Cosmopolitan

Comparable aircraft

• Airspeed Ambassador
• Vickers VC.1 Viking

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of military aircraft of the United States (naval)
• List of military transport aircraft

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "C-131 Samaritan".