Northrop YC 125 Raider

Design and development

Northrop's first postwar civil design was a three-engined STOL passenger and cargo transport named the Northrop N-23 Pioneer. The Pioneer could carry 36 passengers or five tons of cargo and first flew on 21 December 1946. The aircraft had good performance, but there was little interest due to the availability of cheap war surplus aircraft. The Pioneer was lost in a fatal crash on 19 February 1948 when it lost a new tailfin design in flight. In 1948, the United States Air Force expressed interest in an aircraft of the same configuration and placed an order with Northrop for 23 aircraft, 13 troop transports designated the C-125A Raider and 10 for Arctic rescue work designated the C-125B. With the company designation N-32 Raider the first aircraft flew on 1 August 1949.

The aircraft was powered by three 1,200 hp (890 kW) Wright R-1820-99 Cyclone radial engines. The aircraft could also be fitted with JATO rockets that enabled it to take off in less than 500 feet (150 m). The 13 troop transporters were designated YC-125A in-service and the Arctic rescue version the YC-125B.

The Canadian company Canadair considered building the N-23 under licence but did not proceed.

Operational history

Deliveries of the YC-125 to the USAF began in 1950. These aircraft did not serve long as they were underpowered and they were soon sent to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas and relegated to be ground instructional trainers until retired in 1955 and declared surplus.

Most of the surplus aircraft were purchased by Frank Ambrose and sold to bush operators in South and Central America.

Variants

N-23 Pioneer

Prototype three-engined STOL transport, one built.

N-32 Raider

Company designation of military version of the N-23.

YC-125A Raider

N-32 with seats for thirty troops, 13 built (serials 48-628/640).

YC-125B Raider

Arctic rescue version of the N-32 with twenty stretchers and provision for a ski undercarriage. Ten built (serials 48-618/627).

CL-3

Proposed Canadair licensed produced variant from 1949, with 3 x Canadian Pratt & Whitney R-1820 engines. Was redesignated CL-12 in the same year. Project was dropped sometime around early 1950.

Survivors

YC-125A (XB-GEY, former 48-636) is on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona

YC-125B (Serial 48-626, painted as 48-622) is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio

Operators

 United States: United States Air Force

Specifications (YC-125B)

Data from National Museum of the US Air Force YC-125B Factsheet

General characteristics

Crew: four

Length: 67 ft 1 in (20.45 m)

Wingspan: 86 ft 6 in (26.37 m)

Height: 23 ft 1 in (7.04 m)

Max. takeoff weight: 41,900 lb (19,006 kg)

Powerplant: 3 × Wright R-1820-99 Cyclone radial, 1200 hp (895 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 207 mph (478 kmh)

Cruise speed: 171 mph (275 kmh)

Range: 1,856 miles (2,987 km)

Service ceiling: 12,200 ft (3,719 m)