The De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou was the company’s first twin and was just as rugged as the Otter and Beaver- despite the size increase, the Caribou had outstanding field performance on account of its full span flaps, the outer sections of which also acted as ailerons. Of the 307 built, 165 went to the US Army who used them extensively in Vietnam- 20 were lost in combat.⠀ ⠀ Despite the protests of the USAF, the Army deployed the CV-2 Caribou. When airlift was needed in South Vietnam, the USAF blocked the CV-2s and sent their own C-123 Providers instead. ⠀ ⠀ Under the guise of supporting Army facilities in Thailand, the CV-2 was deployed there instead and then sent to Vietnam for “test purposes”. They never left and their extreme STOL capabilities made them useful for supplying remote fire bases and special forces camps. The Caribou’s extensive flaps made airstrips as short as 1000 feet in length accessible.⠀ ⠀ You’ve probably seen the movie or read the book “We Were Soldiers” about the set up of the First Cavalry Division (Airmobile) under Colonel Hal Moore and going to combat at the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in 1965. Several CV-2s were attached to the 1st Cav as logistical support for the division’s helicopters. ⠀ ⠀ There’s a misconception that the USAF co-opted the Caribou fleet from the Army- fact is, Ia Drang showed the Caribou’s limits- the Hueys required a lot of fuel to sustain combat operations and a Caribou could only carry two 500-lb fuel bladders while the C-130 Hercules could carry fourteen. ⠀ ⠀ General Harold Johnson, the Army Chief of Staff, wasn’t pleased and the Caribous were transferred to the USAF in 1966 as the C-7A in exchange for USAF assent in letting the Army develop heavy lift helicopters like the CH-47 Chinook. ⠀ ⠀ November Aviation Photo Challenge | @kjdphoto1971 | #1119planes | “Army" | Day 23⠀ ⠀ #Avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KAFW #AFW #AllianceAirport #FWAAS2017 #airport #planespotting #DeHavilland #DHC4 #CV2 #C7 #Caribou #instagramaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #mil_aviation_originals #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvGeekNation #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge (at Fort Worth Alliance Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5NgFzJhiWH/?igshid=1294x2z8zyk27
