Canadian Warplanes 5: The Post War Piston Era, Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Data current to 29 Aug 2019.

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (35), (Serial Nos. 22101-22135).

The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was a military transport aircraft developed from the Second World War era Fairchild C-82 Packet.  It was designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute.  The first C-119 made its initial flight in November 1947, and by the time production ceased in 1955, more than 1,100 C-119s had been built.  Its cargo-hauling ability and unusual twin-boom design earned it the nickname "Flying Boxcar".  The RCAF received 35 new C-119Fs delivered from 1953, later upgraded to C-119G standard.

 (DND Photo via Chris Charland)

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22126), possibly Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, ca 1950s.

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar, (Serial No. 22101), 22 Sep 1952.   (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3584722)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar, (Serial No. 22101).  (DND Photo via James Craik)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22102), 22 Sep 1952.  (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3584721)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcars, (Serial Nos. 22101 and 22102),  22 Sep 1952, 435 Sqn.  (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3228256)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22102), UN, late 1956.  (DND Photo via James Craik)

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22102),  ca 1958.  (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3951061)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22104).  (RCAF Photo)

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22106).  (RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22110), dropping supplies.  (RCAF Photo)

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22110).  (DND Photo via James Craik)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22110), in flight.  (RCAF Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22111) cn 10776, later Reg. No. N8093, Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Maryland.  (DND Photo via James Craik and Shaun Mullins)

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22112).  (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3584858)

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22112).  (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3584861)

Fairchild C-119 Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22117), Air Force Day, Rockecliff, Ontario, 1955.  (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3585147)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22120), c/n 1087 of the Central Experimental and Proving Establishment (CEPE),  Uplands, Ottawa.  (RCAF Photo)

 (RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22120), c/n 1087 of the Central Experimental and Proving Establishment (CEPE),  Uplands, Ottawa, 4 May 1961, later N961S.

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22127).  (Peter Behring Photo)

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, RCAF (Serial No. 22133) being loaded through the front and rear doors at North Luffenham, England.

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcars (Serial Nos. 22129, 22133 and 009), 435 & 436 Sqns, Rivers, Manitoba.  (DND Photo via James Craik)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22133), Resolute Bay, Northwest Territories.  This aircraft was retired and went on to fly in the civilian world as Reg. No. N383S, with Hawkins & Powers in Wyoming as Tanker No. 133.  (RCAF photo via Fred Paradie)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22134), RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario.  (DND Photo via James Craik)

Although none are preserved in Canada, quite a few former RCAF C-119s have been preserved in the USA.

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22101), Fort Campbell, Clarksville, Tennessee.

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22103), USAF (Serial No. 51-2689), c/n 10678, Reg. No. N8092, 03, National Warplane Museum, Geneseo, New York.

 (Martin McGuire Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22105),  painted as a USAF C-119G (Serial No. 51-2680), Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Niagara Falls, New York.

 (Author Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22106), c/n 10773, Tanker 06, Reg. No. N5215, Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting, Greybull, Wyoming.  Reg. No. N3003.  Pride Capital Group, Deerfield, Illinois.

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22107), painted as USAF (Serial No. 52-2107), Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Roy, Utah.

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22108), Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting, Greybull, Wyoming.

 (Author Photo)

Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22111), Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Hagerstown, Maryland.

 (Author Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22113), Tanker 136, Reg. No. N5216R.  Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting, Greybull, Wyoming.

 (Alan Wilson Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22114), Aerospace Museum of California, McClelland, California.

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22116), Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia.

 (AMCM Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22118), painted as USAF (Serial No. 51-2881), Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware.

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22122), painted as USAF (Serial No. 51-0906), March Field Air Museum, Riverside, California.

 (Alan Wilson Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22130),  (Serial No. 10955), N15501, Lauridsen Aviation Museum, Buckeye, Arizona.

 (Alan Wilson Photo)

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22134), USAF (Serial No. 53-22134), Travis AFB Heritage Centre, Travis AFB, Fairfield, California.

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 22135), Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting, Greybull, Wyoming.