C-26 Metroliner

Infobox Aircraft
name= C-26 "Metroliner"


caption= A C-26B aircraft takes off from Jacksonville ANG Base in 2005.
type= Military transport aircraft
manufacturer= Fairchild Aircraft
designer=
first flight=
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user= United States Air Force
more users= United States Army United States Navy
produced=
number built=
unit cost=
developed from = Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
variants with their own articles=

The Fairchild Aircraft C-26 "Metroliner" is the designation for the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner series twin turboprop aircraft in the service of the United States military. The C-26A is the military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-AC), C-26B is the military version of the Metro 23 (Model SA227-DC), and UC-26C is the military version of the Merlin IV-C.

Design and development

The United States Air Force bought eleven C-26A aircraft based on the SA227-AC, [ [http://www.uswarplanes.net/commutertypes.html www.uswarplanes.net/commutertypes.html] ] [http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/pecan/617/propairliner.html Turboprop Production Lists Home Page] Metro production list accessed via this site 25 August 2007.] two of these being supplied to the Venezuelan Air Force. [ [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1986.html USAF FY1986 Serial Number list.] Retrieved: 25 August 2007.] [Verified by conducting an online search of the Fuerza Aérea Venezolana database at http://www.scramble.nl/dbmil.htm on 25 August 2007, using the serial numbers "0009" and "1964". It would appear that the USAF took delivery of two aircraft serialled 86-0456 and the first (Fairchild c/n AC-745B) was passed to the FAV as 0009, the second being procured to replace that aircraft. The USAF FY1986 Serial Number list has 86-0455 (Fairchild c/n AC-744B) going to the FAV, but the other sources show it was 86-0456/AC-745B.] The first three C-26Bs were procured later in the 1980s, two for the US Army and one for the USAF. These three had been built as SA227-BC models. Later C-26Bs were the military equivalent of the Metro 23 and the USAF took delivery of 37 examples. Some of these were transferred to the Peruvian Air Force and the US Army, while six were transferred to the US Navy as C-26Ds. [ [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1990.html USAF FY1990 Serial Number list.] Retrieved: 25 August 2007.] [ [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1991.html USAF FY1991 Serial Number list] retrieved 25 August 2007.] The US Army also took a second-hand Merlin IVC and operated it as the solitary UC-26C.

A Metro III, c/n AC-614, was modified as the Fairchild Aircraft/Lockheed Multi Mission Surveillance Aircraft, featuring a Lockheed phased array radar in a long pod under the fuselage. ["Coastwatch Tender to Usher In New Age of Surveillance." "Australian Aviation" magazine No. 93, December 1993, p. 24-27. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.] The MMSA was restored to its original configuration and now flies in Australia as a freighter with Pel-Air. However several aspects of the modifications were incorporated on some USAF C-26s as the RC-26B for use in the War on Drugs. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/c-26.htm Globalsecurity.org C-26 page.] Retrieved: 25 August 2007.] Another aircraft was modified for the Colombian Air Force for the same purpose.

Variants

C-26 is the designation of the United States military for the Metroliner series. It was not officially named by the US Armed Forces, [ [http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/412015l.pdf DoD 412.15 Military] ] unofficially. [ [http://www.fairchild.af.mil/library/mid-aircollisionavoidance/c-26b.asp Fairchild Air Force Base C-26B Metroliner page] ]

; C-26A :military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-AC).; C-26B :military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-BC) and Metro 23 (Model SA227-DC).; RC-26B :C-26B modified with electronic surveillance equipment for drug interdiction missions (USAF operates 11). ["Airman", 2007 special edition, published by the USAF.] ; UC-26C :this was a used 1983-built Merlin IVC operated for several years as 89-1471.. [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1989.html USAF FY1989 Serial Number list] retrieved 25 August 2007.] Modifed with a integrated sensor package including forward looking infrared and high resoultion radar.; C-26D :C-26Bs transferred from USAF inventory and modified with new navigation equipment for the US Navy, four used for rapid response cargo and passenger transportation in Europe. ; EC-26D :One range support aircraft operated by the US Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands.; RC-26D :Two range support aircraft operated by the US Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands.

Operators

;COL
* Colombian Air Force;PER
* Peruvian Air Force;USA
* United States Air Force
* United States Army
* United States Navy;VEN
* Venezuelan Air Force

pecifications (C-26A)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=2
capacity=22/14 passengers
length main=42 ft 2 in
length alt=12.85 m
span main=46 ft 3 in
span alt=14.01 m
height main=16.83 ft
height alt=5.13 m
area main=
area alt=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main=14,000 lb
max takeoff weight alt=6,400 kg
* Fuel: 625 gal (2,370 L)
engine (prop)=Allied Signal Garrett TPE-331-IIUG-601G
type of prop=turboprops
number of props=2
power main=1,100 hp
power alt=820 kW
max speed main=248 knots
max speed alt=285 mph, 460 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
range main=2,025 nm
range alt=2,331 mi, 3,750 km
ceiling main=31,000 ft
ceiling alt=9,500 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=0.08 hp/lb
power/mass alt=130 W/kg

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Swearingen Merlin
* Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner

similar aircraft=
* Beechcraft 1900
* C-12 Huron

lists=
* List of military aircraft of the United States

see also=

References

;Notes

;Bibliography
* Donald, David, general editor. "Encyclopedia of World Aircraft". Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
* Endes, Günter. "Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro/Merlin". "The Illustrated Directory of Modern Commercial Aircraft". St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1125-0.
* Frawley, Gerard. "Fairchild Dornier Metro II, III & 23". "The International Directory of Civil Aircraft". Canberra: Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd., 1997. ISBN 1-875671-26-9.
* Palmer, Trisha, ed. "Swearingen Metro and Metro II/III". "Encyclopedia of the World's Commercial and Private Aircraft". New York: Crescent Books, 2001. ISBN 0-517-362856.

External links

* [http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=450&ct=1 US Navy C-26 Fact File]
* [http://luftfahrtmuseum.com/htmi/ith/fairchil.htm Virtual Museum - Fairchild]