Editing Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (section)

==Development==
The Air Force C-119 and Navy R4Q was initially a redesign of the earlier [[Fairchild C-82 Packet|C-82 Packet]], built between 1945 and 1948. The Packet had provided limited service to the Air Force's [[Tactical Air Command]] and [[Military Air Transport Service]] before its design was found to have several serious problems. Though it continued in service until replaced, all of these were addressed in the C-119, which had its first test flight already in 1947.

To improve pilot visibility, enlarge the cargo area, and streamline aerodynamics, the C-119 [[cockpit]] was moved forward to fit flush with the nose, rather than over the cargo compartment. The correspondingly longer fuselage resulted in more usable cargo space and larger loads than the C-82 could accommodate. The C-119 also got new engines, with 60% more power, four-bladed props to three, and a wider and stronger [[airframe]]. The first C-119 [[prototype]] (called the XC-82B) made its initial flight in November 1947, with deliveries of C-119Bs from Fairchild's [[Hagerstown, Maryland]] factory beginning in December 1949.<ref name="Swan Mil p262-3">Swanborough and Bowers 1963, pp. 262–263.</ref>

In 1951, [[Henry J. Kaiser]] was awarded a contract to assemble additional C-119s at the [[Kaiser-Frazer]] automotive factory located in the former [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|B-24]] plant at [[Willow Run Airport]] in [[Belleville, Michigan]]. Initially, the Kaiser-built C-119F differed from the Fairchild aircraft by the use of [[Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone|Wright R-3350]]-85 Duplex Cyclone engines in place of Fairchild's use of the [[Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major]] [[radial engine]]. Kaiser built 71 C-119s at Willow Run in 1952 and 1953 (AF Ser. No. 51-8098 to 51-8168) before converting the factory for a planned production of the [[Chase Aircraft|Chase]] [[Fairchild C-123 Provider|C-123]] that never eventuated. The Kaiser sub-contract was frowned upon by Fairchild, and efforts were made through political channels to stop Kaiser's production, which may have proven successful. Following Kaiser's termination of C-119 production the contract for the C-123 was instead awarded to Fairchild. Most Kaiser-built aircraft were issued to the U.S. Marine Corps as R4Qs, with several later turned over to the [[South Vietnam]]ese [[Republic of Vietnam Air Force|air force]] in the 1970s, a few others were later shipped to Belgium and Italy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Registration Details For MM51-8113 (Italian Air Force-Aeronautica Militare) C-119J Flying Boxcar - PlaneLogger|url=https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/MM51-8113/932247|access-date=2021-07-14|website=www.planelogger.com}}</ref>

The [[Fairchild AC-119|AC-119G Shadow]] gunship variant was fitted with four six-barrel [[7.62×51mm NATO|{{cvt|7.62|mm}} NATO]] [[minigun]]s, [[Vehicle armour|armor plating]], [[Flare|flare launchers]], and [[Night vision#Night vision technologies|night-capable]] [[infrared]] equipment. Like the [[Lockheed AC-130|AC-130]] that replaced it, the AC-119 proved to be a potent weapon. The AC-119 was made more deadly by the introduction of the AC-119K Stinger version, which featured the addition of two General Electric [[M61 Vulcan]] [[20 mm caliber|{{cvt|20|mm}}]] [[Autocannon|cannon]], improved [[avionics]], and two underwing-mounted General Electric J85-GE-17 [[turbojet]] engines, adding nearly {{convert|6000|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} of thrust.

Other major variants included the EC-119J, used for [[satellite]] tracking, and the YC-119H Skyvan prototype, with larger wings and tail.

In civilian use, many C-119s feature the "Jet-Pack" modification, which incorporates a {{convert|3400|lbf|abbr=on}} [[Westinghouse J34]] turbojet engine in a [[nacelle]] above the [[fuselage]].

===Production===
Number built and delivered: 1,183:
* 1,112 by Fairchild
* 71 by Kaiser-Frazer Corp
Two additional airframes were built by Fairchild for static tests.