C-131 Samaritan R4Y / T-29

Convair C-131F Samaritan
Role	Military transport Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Convair
First flight	22 September 1949
Introduction	1950
Retired	1990
Primary users	United States Air Force United States Navy United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard
Number built	512^[1]
Developed from	Convair CV-240

The Convair C-131 Samaritan is an American twin-engined military transport produced from 1954 to 1956 by Convair. It is the military version of the Convair CV-240 family of airliners.^[2]

Design and development

The design began life in a production requirement by American Airlines for a pressurized airliner to replace the Douglas DC-3. Convair's original design had two engines and 40 seats, and thus it was designated the CV-240. The first CV-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, Sabena, Swissair and Trans Australia Airlines.^{[citation needed]}

Operational history

The CV-240/340/440 series was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) for medical evacuation and VIP transport and was designated as C-131 Samaritan. The first model Samaritan, the C-131A, was derived from the CV-240 model, and was delivered to the USAF in 1954.^{[citation needed]}^{[contradictory]}

The initial trainer model, designated the T-29, was also based on the Convair CV-240 and was used to instruct USAF navigators for all USAF aircraft and United States Navy (USN) Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) selected to fly land-based aircraft. The first deliveries to the USAF were made in 1950 followed by large production quantities until early 1955. The USAF and the USN operated T-29s in separate units at separate locations until 1976. In 1974, the USAF T-29s with the 323d Flying Training Wing (323 FTW) at Mather AFB, California began to be replaced by the Boeing 737-derived T-43. In 1975, the Navy retired all of its T-29s assigned to Training Squadron Twenty-Nine (VT-29) at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, deactivated VT-29, and merged their advanced navigator training program for land-based NFOs with the Air Force's program at Mather AFB.^[3]

A planned bomber training version of the T-29 (designated T-32) was never built.^{[citation needed]}

From 1952, the USN and United States Marine Corps (USMC) took delivery of 36 R4Y-1 transport aircraft similar to the commercial CV-340 and USAF C-131D, configured with 44 passenger seats and powered by a pair of 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-52W engines. A single otherwise similar aircraft was acquired with a 24-seat VIP interior and designated R4Y-1Z. In 1957, the USN took delivery of two additional aircraft similar to the commercial CV-440 and designated R4Y-2. With the 1962 redesignation of USN/USMC aircraft, the three types were redesignated as the C-131F, VC-131F, and C-131G respectively.^[4] A number of R4Y-1 (C-131F) aircraft were converted to R4Y-1Z (VC-131F) or R4Y-2 (C-131G) standards after delivery, and several C-131F and C-131G aircraft were ultimately sold as military surplus and converted to civil use.^[5]^[6]

Nearly all of the C-131s left the active USAF inventory in the late 1970s, but the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) operated the aircraft until 1983, while the Air National Guard (ANG) and USN units operated additional C-131 airframes, primarily as Operational Support Aircraft (OSA) for ANG flying wings and as naval air station "station aircraft" until 1990. The C-131 was primarily replaced by the C-9 Nightingale in regular USAF service, with the ANG replacing their OSA with C-130 Hercules aircraft and the USN with C-12 Hurons.^{[citation needed]}

In 1959, a C-131 was the first aircraft to be used as a reduced-gravity aircraft or 'vomit comet', for astronaut training as part of Project Mercury.^[7]^[8]^[9]

A Samaritan was the first aircraft used as a flying gunship testbed in mid-1963, in a program known as "Project Tailchaser".^[10] A C-131B (AF Ser. No. 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 overland tests were successful.^[11]

Accidents and incidents

Main article: List of accidents and incidents involving the Convair CV-240 family

On 17 December 1960, a USAF C-131D Samaritan crashed at Munich after one engine lost power on takeoff from Munich-Riem Airport. Flying in heavy fog and unable to gain altitude, the aircraft struck the steeple of St. Paul's Church and crashed onto a tram, killing all 20 people on the aircraft and 32 on the tram.^[12]

Variants

C-131A: Transport for USAF based on CV-240, capable of carrying 39 passengers on rearward facing seats, or 20 stretchers and 7 seats; 26 built.^[13]
HC-131A: Surplus C-131As transferred to the USCG, 22 transferred.
MC-131A: C-131A used for medivac duties with 27 stretchers.
VC-131A: C-131A used as a staff transport.
C-131B: A hybrid CV-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 CV-340s modified with Alison 501D-13 turboprop 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 (ECM) training version for Strategic Air Command (SAC), 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 for airways checking duties.
VC-131G: C-131G when used as a staff transport.
C-131H: Conversions to CV-580 turboprop standard.
NC-131H: One conversion with an extended nose incorporating a separate cockpit as a Total In-Flight Simulator. This aircraft was transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio on November 7, 2008^[14]
R4Y-1: USN/USMC version of CV-340 with 44 passenger seats, redesignated C-131F in 1962, 36 built.^[4]^[5]
R4Y-1Z: USN/USMC 24-seat VIP staff transport, redesignated VC-131F in 1962, one built and conversions from R4Y-1.^[4]^[5]
R4Y-2: USN/USMC version of CV-440, redesignated C-131G in 1962, two built and conversions from R4Y-1; an additional 13 canceled, of which six were completed as CV-440 airliners.^[4]^[5]^[6]
R4Y-2Q: Proposed ECM version of the R4Y-2, five canceled.^[6]
R4Y-2S: Proposed anti-submarine warfare version of R4Y-2, 14 canceled.^[6]
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, unpressurized cabin for 14 students, 46 built.
VT-29A: T-29As converted for staff transport.
T-29B: Pressurized 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 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) 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 to 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

Paraguay

Paraguayan Air Force operated one former USAF Convair C-131D^[15]

United States

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

Surviving aircraft

HC-131A

52-5794 – On display at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum in Pueblo, Colorado.^[16]^[17]

C-131A

55-4757 – On display at the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota.^[18]

C-131B

53-7811 – Last registered to Tatonduk Outfitters Limited in Fairbanks, Alaska. This aircraft was previously on display at the Kelly Field Heritage Museum, Lackland AFB, Texas.^[19]
53-7819 – Airworthy with Airborne Resources Inc in Midlothian, Texas.^[20]^[21]
53-7821 – On display at the Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin AFB, Florida.^[22]

C-131D

54-2806 – On display at the Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum, Travis AFB, California.^[23]
54-2808 – On display at the March Field Air Museum, March ARB (former March AFB), Riverside, California.^[24]
54-2810 – Stored at Burlington Air National Guard Base in Burlington, Vermont.^[25]
54-2822 – On display at the Aerospace Museum of California, former McClellan AFB, California.^[26]
55-0292 – On display at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.^[27]
55-0293 – On display at the Selfridge Military Air Museum, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan.^[28]^[29]
55-0294 – On display at The Leonardo in Salt Lake City, Utah.^[30]^{[failed verification]}
55-0295 – On display at the Air Mobility Command Museum, Dover AFB, Delaware.^[31]
55-0300 – On display at the Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Utah.^[32]
55-0301 – Cockpit only with unknown owner in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This airframe was previously on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, but was scrapped before 2009.^[33]^[34]

C-131F

140996 – Airworthy with Gulf & Caribbean Cargo of Waterford, Michigan.^[35]^[36]
141008 – Airworthy with Conquest Air Inc of Miami Lakes, Florida.^[37]^[38]
141013 – On display at the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.^[39]
141015 – On display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, Florida.^[40]
141017 – On display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.^[41]
141025 – In storage at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.^[42]

NC-131H

53-7793 – On display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.^[43]^[44]

T-29A

49-1934 – On display at Sheppard AFB, Texas.^[45]
50-0190 – On display at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska.^[46]

T-29B

51-7906 – On display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.^[47]

T-29C

53-3489 – On display at the 12th Flying Training Wing area, Randolph AFB, Texas.^[48] (previously displayed at former Mather AFB, California; disassembled and relocated following BRAC closure of Mather AFB)
52-1175 – On display at the Linear Air Park at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.^[49]

Specifications (C-131B)

Data from United States Military Aircraft since 1909^[50]

General characteristics

Crew: four
Capacity: 48 passengers
Length: 79 ft 2 in (24.14 m)
Wingspan: 105 ft 4 in (32.11 m)
Height: 28 ft 2 in (8.59 m)
Wing area: 920 sq ft (85.5 m²)
Empty weight: 29,248 lb (13,294 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 47,000 lb (21,363 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-99 "Double Wasp" 18 cylinder air cooled radial engines, 2,500 hp (1,865 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 293 mph (472 km/h, 255 kn)
Cruise speed: 254 mph (409 km/h, 221 kn)
Range: 450 mi (725 km, 391 nmi)
Service ceiling: 24,500 ft (7,470 m)
Rate of climb: 1,410 ft/min (7.2 m/s)

References

External links

Convair and General Dynamics aircraft

Convair and General Dynamics aircraft
Manufacturer designations	(numbering continued from Vultee): 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 108 109 110 111 112 115 116 117 118 200 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8/8-24 9 11 21 22 23 24 27 30 31 48 240 300 340 440 540 580 600 640
Bombers	B-36 XA-44 XB-46 XB-53 B-58 YB-60
Fighters and attack aircraft	XP-81 XF-92 F-102 F-106 XFY F2Y Charger
Civilian transports	37 58-9 110 240 300 340 440 540 580 600 640 880 990 5800
Military transports	XC-99 C-131 R3Y R4Y T-29
Experimental aircraft	Kingfish NB-36H X-6
General Dynamics	F-111 F-111B F-111C F-111K EF-111A AFTI/F-111A F-16 F-16XL X-62 VISTA Model 100 Model 1600 RB-57F YF-22

United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

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 A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 F T 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 B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 B-D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 A B 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 D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 F C-122 C-123 A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127² C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 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/B 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-20A-D F-H C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36³ C-37A B 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-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unconfirmed

United States trainer aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Advanced Trainer
(1925–1948)

Basic Combat
(1936–1940)

Basic Trainer
(1930–1948)

Primary Trainer
(1924–1948)

Main sequence
(1948–present)

1948 redesignations	T-6 T-7 T-11 T-13² T-13A T-13B/D T-17 T-19
New designations	T-28 T-29 T-30 T-31 T-32 T-33 T-34 T-35 T-36 T-37 T-38 T-39 T-40 T-41² T-41 (I) T-41 (II) T-42² T-42 (I) T-42 (II) T-43 T-44 T-45 T-46 T-47 B T-48² YT-48 T-48TS T-49 T-50 T-51 T-52 T-53 T-54

Alternate sequences

1962 redesignations	T-1 T-2
1990– sequence	T-1 T-2¹ T-3 T-4¹ T-5¹ T-6 T-7

¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types

USN/USMC transport designations pre–1962

T-series (pre–1931)

Atlantic Aircraft	TA

R-series (1931–1962)

Atlantic Aircraft	RA -4
Budd	RB
Curtiss	RC R2C⁴ R3C⁴ R4C R5C
Douglas	RD R2D R3D R4D R4D-8 R5D R6D
Bellanca	RE
Kinner	RK
Kreider-Reisner	RK² R2K
Martin	RM
Lockheed	RO R2O R3O R4O R5O R6O R7O-1/-2 to "V" (see below, at "Lockheed")
Stinson	RQ R2Q² R3Q
Fairchild	RQ R2Q R3Q² R4Q
Ford	RR
Sikorsky	RS
Northrop	RT
Lockheed	from "O" (see above, at "Lockheed") R6V R7V-1/-2 R8V
Convair	RY R2Y R3Y R4Y

¹ Not assigned
² Assigned to a different manufacturer's type
³ Sequence restarted
⁴ Assigned to a different class of aircraft