Jump to content

de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by The Bushranger (talk | contribs) at 18:23, 10 December 2010 (→See also: fix link). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

DHC-5 Buffalo
Role Utility aircraft
Manufacturer de Havilland Canada
First flight 22 September 1961
Introduction 1965
Produced 1965-1972
1974 (second production run)
Number built 122
Developed from De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou

The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility transport, a turboprop version developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou. The aircraft has extraordinary STOL performance and is able to take off in distances much shorter than even light aircraft can manage.

Design and development

An Egyptian Air Force DHC-5D
A DHC-5 Buffalo taking off
The NASA-Boeing QSRA

The Buffalo arose from a United States Army requirement. Its first flight was on 22 September 1961 but due to a protracted test and development phase, only a pre-production run of four DHC-5As was delivered in 1965 and designated YAC-2 (later CV-7A and subsequently C-8A). Difficulties arose with the Buffalo program in the US, as despite having won the US Army competition, the contract was not awarded. Complications had arisen when US Army fixed wing operations were transferred to the United States Air Force, who considered themselves adequately equipped with the Fairchild Aircraft C-123 Provider.

In the early 1980s, de Havilland Canada attempted to modify the Buffalo for civilian use. The aircraft was to be branded as the "Transporter." After loss of the demonstration aircraft (SN 103 C-GCTC) at the 1984 Farnborough Airshow, the project was abandoned.

A production Buffalo was used for breaking time-to-height records in 1976.[citation needed]

Experimental use

In the early 1970s, a NASA C-8A Buffalo (nicknamed Bisontennial in 1976) was fitted with a short-span Boeing wing incorporating split-flow turbofan engines based on the Rolls-Royce Spey (providing both propulsion and augmentor airflow for the powered lift system).[1][2][3][4] Beginning in 1972 with its first flight in this experimental configuration, this aircraft was used jointly by the NASA Ames Research Center and the Canadian Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce for STOL research.[3][5]

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, NASA used another C-8A Buffalo in the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA) program.[1][2][6]: 153 [7][8][9]

Its experimental wing was designed, fabricated and installed by Boeing, and was a swept, supercritical design incorporating a boundary layer control system.[7][8]: 8  Instead of the standard engines, this aircraft was powered by four prototype Avco Lycoming YF102 high-bypass turbofan engines (originally from the Northrop YA-9 program) mounted above the wing to take advantage of the Coandă effect.[8]: 9–10  In 1980, this aircraft participated in carrier trials aboard USS Kitty Hawk, demonstrating STOL performance without the use of catapults or arrestor gear.[2][6]: 154 

New production

In December 2008 Viking Air, who hold the type certificate for the Buffalo, indicated that they intend to put the aircraft back into production at their factory in Victoria, British Columbia or Calgary, Alberta. The new production Buffalo will feature Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 engines, a glass cockpit, enhanced vision and night vision goggle capability. The company intends to propose the aircraft as a replacement for the Canadian Forces fleet of existing DHC-5As.[10]

Operational history

U.S. Army DHC-5 (63-13689) at Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, November 1965
A DHC-5 "Buffalo" taxiing

In late 1965, one of the prototype DHC-5s operated by the U.S. Army was deployed to Bien Hoa Air Base in South Vietnam for a three month evaluation period, assigned to the 2nd Flight Platoon of the 92nd Aviation Company.[11]

The Royal Canadian Air Force (now the Canadian Forces) first acquired 15 DHC-5A designated as CC-115 for tactical transports. These were initially operated at CFB St Hubert, QC by No. 429 Squadron in a tactical aviation role as part of Mobile Command. In 1970, the Buffalo aircraft were transferred to a transport and rescue role with No. 442 Squadron RCAF, No. 413 Squadron RCAF and No. 424 Squadron Squadrons as part of Transport Command. No. 426 Squadron also flew the aircraft as a Training Squadron. Some were leased back or loaned back to the factory for trials and eventually returned to military service.

Three of the aircraft were also deployed on UN missions to the Middle East with No. 116 Transport Unit until 1979. They had a white paint scheme which was retained while they were serving in domestic transport with 424 Sqn in between deployments. On 9 August 1974, Canadian Forces CC-115 Buffalo 115461 was shot down by a Syrian surface-to-air missile, killing all nine CF personnel on board. This represents the single biggest loss of Canadian lives on a UN mission as well as the most recent Canadian military aircraft to be shot down.

In 1975, the Buffalo dropped its tactical transport role and was converted to domestic search and rescue, except for a few that kept serving on UN missions. The initial paint scheme for the SAR converted aircraft were white and red while others still had the original drab paint. The previous drab paint and white paint were eventually replaced with the distinctive yellow and red scheme commonly seen today. The number of aircraft have been reduced to eight, with six on active service, one in storage (recently dismantled) and one used for battle damage training. The remaining operational Buffalos operate in the Search and Rescue role for No. 442 Squadron at CFB Comox. The Buffalo was replaced by the CC-130 Hercules aircraft at search-and-rescue bases in CFB Greenwood and CFB Trenton. The EADS CASA C-295 or Alenia C-27J Spartan were seen as the likely replacements for the Buffalo in Canadian Forces. The C-27J has been considered for a sole-source contract by the Government of Canada.[12]

Production of the DHC-5A ended in 1972 after sales to Brazil and Peru but restarted with the DHC-5D model in 1974. This variant sold to several overseas air forces beginning with Egypt.

There are currently two Buffalo aircraft used commercially in Canada. They operate with Arctic Sunwest Charters, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

Variants

A CC-115 Buffalo of 442 Transport & Rescue Squadron
DHC-5 Buffalo
Originally designed as a twin-engined STOL tactical, utility transport aircraft for the US Army. Original US Army designation AC-2.
DHC-5A
Utility transport aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force, Canadian Forces and Peruvian Air Force. Canadian designation CC-115.
DHC-5B
Proposed version, powered by two General-Electric CT64-P4C turboprop engines. Not built.
DHC-5C
Proposed version, powered by two Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.12 turboprop engines. Not built.
DHC-5D
Improved version, powered by two 2,336 kW (3,133 shp) General Electric CT64-820-4 turboprop engines.
DHC-5E Transporter
Civil transport version.
NASA / DITC C-8A
One C-8A aircraft converted into an augmentor wing research aircraft.
XC8A ACLS
One C-8A aircraft converted into an air-cushion landing system research aircraft.
NASA / Boeing QSRA C-8A
One C-8A converted into a quiet short-haul research aircraft.
Viking DHC-5NG Buffalo NG
Proposed redesigned new production version to be built by Viking Air. NG is the company marketing term indicating Next Generation[13][14]

Canadian military designations

CC-115
Canadian military designation for 15 DHC-5As.

United States military designations

AC-2
Designation for four DHC-5s for evaluation by the United States Army.
CV-7A
Re-designation of four United States Army AC-2s.
C-8A
United States Air Force designation for four CV-7As transferred from the Army in 1967.

Operators

 Abu Dhabi
 Brazil
 Cameroon
 Canada
 Chile
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (previously  Zaire)
 Ecuador
 Egypt
 Ethiopia
 Indonesia
 Kenya
 Mauritania
 Mexico
 Oman
  • Oman Police Air Wing
 Peru
 Sudan
 Tanzania
 Togo
 United States
 Zambia

Accidents and incidents

In total, 26 hull losses have been recorded. The most notable crash involving a DHC-5 occurred on 27 April 1993, when a DHC-5 carrying the Zambia national football team to a 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Senegal crashed shortly after takeoff from a refuelling stop in Libreville, Gabon. All 30 people on board perished.[16]

Specifications (DHC-5D)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83 [18]

General characteristics

  • Crew: Three (pilot, co-pilot and crew chief)
  • Capacity: 41 troops or 24 stretchers
  • Airfoil: NACA 643A417.5 (mod) at root, NACA 632A615

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b Baugher, Joseph F. "1963 USAF Serial Numbers." USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to Present, 2008. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Buser, Wayne E. "NASA Buffalos." The deHavilland Caribou (DHC-4) and Buffalo (DHC-5) Website, 2006. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  3. ^ a b "First Augmentor Wing Aircraft Flight." The Astrogram, Volume XIV, Issue 16, 11 May 2005, pp. 1–2. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  4. ^ "N716NA." Airliners.net, Aviation Photos. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  5. ^ "STOL Buffalo Flies." Flight International, Volume 101, Issue 3295, p. 658. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  6. ^ a b Norton, Bill. STOL Progenitors: The Technology Path to a Large STOL Transport and the C-17A. Reston, VA: AIAA, 2002. ISBN 978-1563475764.
  7. ^ a b "CV-7 / C-8A Buffalo / DHC-5." GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  8. ^ a b c Shovlin, Michael D. and John A. Cochrane. "An Overview of the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft Program." nasa.gov, 1978. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  9. ^ "N715NA." Airliners.net, Aviation Photos. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  10. ^ Niles, Russ. "Viking Proposes Resurrection Of DHC-5 Buffalo." avweb.com, December 2008. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  11. ^ "De Havilland (DHC-5) Buffalo, Page 2". de Havilland Caribou (DHC-4) and Buffalo (DHC-5) web site. Retrieved: 3 May 2010.
  12. ^ "Report: DND to look at single bid for search planes." cbc.ca, 3 January 2007. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  13. ^ "DHC-5NG Buffalo versus C-27J Spartan." Viking Air, January 2009. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  14. ^ "Buffalo NG News." Viking Air, January 2009. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  15. ^ Rohde, Andreas. "Riding a Buffalo - with Arctic Sunwest Charters." Airways, Volume 15, No. 12, Issue 156, February 2009, pp. 30–35. ISSN 1074-4320. Note: Only two of the 126 Buffalos built were for a commercial operator - Ethiopian Airlines.
  16. ^ "Team Crashes." Flight International, Volume 143, Issue 4368, 11 May 1993, p. 13. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  17. ^ "de Havilland Canada CC-115 Buffalo 115461." aviation-safety.net. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  18. ^ Taylor 1982, pp. 25–26.
Bibliography
  • "DHC-5D ...A Beefier Buffalo." Air International, Volume 11, Number 2, August 1976, pp. 59—67. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll.
  • Hotson, Fred W. The de Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN 0-07-549483-3.
  • Milberry, Larry. Aviation In Canada. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-07-082778-8.
  • Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. Canadian Aircraft Since 1909. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-920002-11-0.
  • Taylor, John W.R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0 7106-0748-2.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=De_Havilland_Canada_DHC-5_Buffalo&oldid=401650902"