de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo

Developed from the DHC-4 Caribou, being an enlarged fuselage version of that aircraft, the de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo was known originally as the Caribou II.

Four were ordered for evaluation by the US Army, their development cost shared by the US Army, together with the Canadian government and de Havilland Canada; the first of these transports made its maiden flight on 9 April 1964.

To meet the requirements of the US Army for a transport, the DHC-5 can carry loads such as the Pershing missile, a 105-mm howitzer or 3/4-ton truck. The Buffalo can accommodate 41 troops, 35 paratroops, 24 stretchers, or up to 18,000 lb (8,164 kg) of freight (Including vehicles).

No further orders resulted from US Army evaluation of the DHC-5 (designated originally YAC-2 by the US Army, and later C-8A), but the Canadian Armed Forces acquired 15 of the DHC-5A which it designated CC-115: six were converted subsequently for deployment in a maritime patrol role. Following delivery of 24 to the Brazilian air force and 16 to the Peruvian air force, the production line was closed down.

 

In 1974 production of an improved DHC-5D Buffalo was initiated. This had more powerful engines which permitted operation at higher gross weights, and offered improved all-round performance. Production of the Buffalo ended in 1982, but the last of 122 aircraft built was not delivered until April 1985. DHC-5Ds were bought by the armed forces of Abu Dhabi (5), Cameroun (3), Chile (1), Ecuador (3), Egypt (10), Kenya (8), Mauritania (1), Mexico (3), Sudan (4), Tanzania (6), Togo (2), Zaire (3) and Zambia (7).
With interest being shown by civil operators, DH Canada developed the DHC-5E Transporter, certificated in Canada in 1981. Generally similar to the military Buffalo, it could seat 44 passengers in a standard layout but with quick-change passenger/cargo and VIP/executive interior. Two were acquired by Ethiopian Airlines.

The de Havilland Canada XC-8A research aircraft, modified by the addi-tion of an air cushion landing system (ACLS) designed by Bell Aerospace, made its first flight on 31 March 1975. An air cushion beneath the aircraft was created by an inflated rubberized nylon trunk pierced with hundreds of vent holes, making it possible to take off from or land on virtually any surface, in-cluding water.

Variants:
DHC-5B: designation of proposed version with General Electric CT64-P4C engines, not built.
DHC-5C: designation of proposed version with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.12 engines, not built.
NASA/DITC XC-8A: designation of C-8A following conversion for use as an augmentor wing research aircraft; extensively modified, it has clipped wings, fixed landing gear, two Rolls-Royce Spey engines with vectored nozzles complementing the augmentor wings.
XC-8A ACLS: redesignation of C-8A following conversion for use as an Air-Cushion Landing System research aircraft; instead of conventional landing gear it has an inflatable but perforated rubber air cushion which permits operation from and to almost any type of surface, including ice, rough airfields, soft soils, snow, swamps and water.
NASA/Boeing QSRA: redesignation of C-8A following conversion for use as a Quiet Short-haul Research Aircraft; this aircraft has a new wing incorporating upper-surface blowing and boundary-layer control; engines are four Avco Lycoming F102 turbofans.

DHC-5D
Engines: 2 x General Electric CT64-820-4 turboprop, 3,133 shp / 2336kW
Max take-off weight: 22317 kg / 49201 lb
Empty weight: 11412 kg / 25159 lb
Wingspan: 29.26 m / 96 ft 0 in
Length: 24.08 m / 79 ft 0 in
Height: 8.76 m / 29 ft 9 in
Wing area: 87.79 sq.m / 944.96 sq ft
Wing loading: 52.07 lb/sq.ft / 254.00 kg/sq.m
Cruise speed: 420 km/h / 261 mph
Ceiling: 7620 m / 25000 ft
Range w/max.fuel: 3280 km / 2038 miles
Range w/max.payload: 416 km / 258 miles
Payload: 41 Pax. / 8160kg
Crew: 2-3
Passengers: 44

Gemini
Engine: 2 x General Electric CT64 turboprop, 3,133shp.
Installed pwr: 4680 kW.
Span: 29.3 m.
Length: 24.1 m.
Wing area: 87.8 sq.m.
Empty wt: 11,410 kg.
MTOW: 22,320 kg.
Payload: 8165 kg.
Cruise speed: 420 kph.
Initial ROC: 555 m / min.
Ceiling: 7600 m.
T/O run: 700 m.
Ldg run: 260 m.
Fuel internal: 7980 lt.
Range/payload: 1112 km with 8165 kg.
Capacity: 41 pax.

DHC-5 Buffalo CC-115
Engines: 2 x General Electric, 3055 shp.
Wing span: 96 ft 0 in (29.266 m).
Length: 79 ft 0 in (24.08 m).
Height: 28 ft 8 in (8.73 m).
Max TO wt: 49,200 lb (22316 kg).
Max level speed: 261 mph ( 420 kph).