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| C-7 Caribou |
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| Role | STOL utility transport |
| Crew | 3 |
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| Length | 72.58 ft | 22.12 m |
| Wingspan | 95.58 ft | 29.13 m |
| Height | 31.66 ft | 9.65 m |
| Wing area | 912 ft&2 | 84.7 m&2 |
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| Empty | 18,260 lb (B variant) | 8,283 kg |
| Loaded | 31,000 lb | 14,198 kg |
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| Engines | Two Pratt And Whitney R-2000-7M2 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder |
| Power | 1,450 hp | 1081 kW |
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| Maximum speed | 216 mph | 348 km/h |
| Combat range | 1,307 mi | 2,103 km |
| Ferry range | 242 mi | 389 km |
| Service ceiling | 24,800 ft (B) | 7,559 m |
| Rate of climb | 1,355 ft/min | 413 m/min |
The (known in the US military as the '''C-7 Caribou''') was designed as a specialized transport for STOL (short takeoff and landing). It was first flown in
1958 and delivery was taken by the
United States Army in
1961 . In Army hands, the craft was known as the '''CV-2 Caribou'''.
The Army purchased 159 of the aircraft and they served their purpose as a tactical transport well during the
Vietnam War , where larger cargo aircraft such as the
C-123 Provider and the
C-130 Hercules could not land on the shorter landing strips. The aircraft could carry 32 troops or two
Jeep s or similar light verhicles. The rear loading ramp could also be used for parachute dropping.
In
1967 , a political decision was made by the
United States Air Force who, believing that all fixed-wing aircraft operations were its own province, demanded that the Army turn over the Caribou. The Army ultimately traded the Caribou to the Air Force in exchange for an end to restrictions on Army
Helicopter operations.
Most of the C-7s have since been phased out of the military.
The
Royal Australian Air Force still operates 14 Caribous.
- Abu Dhabi, Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia, Oman, Spain, South Vietnam, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United States (Army, Air Force), Zambia,
