Last US 3 engined, no jet, aircraft

[leo]

Does anyone know whiach was the last 3 engined US military aircraft. I seem to remember a Fairchild which was used either during the Korean War or soon after. Several of my friends say I am wrong. They say Ford or Fokker was. Can anyone shed some light on this topic. Big money ( 5 bucks) rides on the answer..

[gilles]

Maybe the Northrop YC-125 Raider ?
http://www.airbornegrafix.com/Histor...ings/YC125.htm

[Roundel]

The Northrop YC-125 Raider is my guess, too. It was the civilian version of the N-23 Pioneer civilian transport and they were roughly the American counterparts of the Bristol 170 Freighter, but much less successful. Only one N-23 and 23 YC-125's were built. Two YC-125's are known to survive, both in museums in the USA.

Speed was not the Raider's strong suit. An article in Flying magazine in the mid-1970's covered the return to the United States of a YC-125 from Mexico. The escort for the return flight was a Grumman Widgeon (Gosling), the small twin-engine amphibious flying boat reknowned for its utility rather than velocity. The YC-125 flew so slowly that the Widgeon could keep pace only with its flaps at full down.

Run "YC-125" in a search engine, especially with "N-23," and you'll get many hits, including the YC-125 pilot's manual and plans for a free flight model N-23!

P.S. Rumor has it that John Underwood is working on a book about three-engine airliners. Maybe the YC-125/N-23 will be included.

[leo]

Well, the memory is only partially bad. I win the bet, but will get a reduced payment because I had the wrong manufacturer. I raise my stein in thanks.

[Pat Daily]

The Navy had a special RD-4 (DC-3) converted to a trimotor but it was powered with turboprops. Flew quite a bit in Alaska back in the 70s-early 80s I think.

Pat

[saruffin]

There's one sitting out on the tarmac at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. You can take a look at it here:

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/fac...eet.asp?id=784

Steve