TheFairchild C-26 “Metroliner”is the designation for theFairchild Swearingen Metrolinerseries twinturbopropaircraft in the service of theUnited Statesmilitary. It was not officially named by the US Armed Forces,but is unofficially known by the same name as its civilian counterpart.The C-26A is the military version of the Model SA227-AC Metro III; the C-26B is the military version of the Model SA227-BC Metro III and Model SA227-DC Metro 23; and UC-26C is the military designation for the Model SA227-AT Merlin IVC.
Design and development
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TheUnited States Air Forcebought elevenC-26Aaircraft based on the SA227-AC,two of these being supplied to theVenezuelan Air Force.The first three C-26Bs were procured later in the 1980s, two for theUS Armyand one for the USAF. These three had been built as SA227-BC models. Later C-26Bs were the military equivalent of the Metro 23 and the USAF took delivery of 37 examples. Some of these were transferred to thePeruvian Air Forceand the US Army, while six were transferred to theUS NavyasC-26Ds.The US Army also took a second-hand Merlin IVC and operated it as the solitary UC-26C.
A Metro III, c/n AC-614, was modified as theFairchild Aircraft/Lockheed Multi Mission Surveillance Aircraft, featuring aLockheedphased arrayradarin a long pod under the fuselage.Several aspects of the MMSA aircraft were incorporated on some USAF C-26s redesignated as theRC-26B, operated by theAir National Guard(ANG) in various states. These aircraft have been primarily used for Department of Defense reconnaissance mission support to various agencies of theDepartment of Homeland Securitysuch as theUnited States Coast Guard(USCG) andCustoms and Border Protection(CBP) in theWar on Drugs, and to USCG and/or theFederal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) in the wake of natural disasters.The RC-26B aircraft were originally configured with a belly pod containing a sensor turret and a data recorder.Recently, this pod has been removed and a sensor turret has been added to the belly of the aircraft.Some of the RC-26Bs were operated for a time with civil registrations.On 4 February 2019, a contract forElbit Systems of Americato provide an avionics upgrade to the Air National Guard’s RC-26Bs was announced.The US Navy operates several C-26D aircraft, modified for range support, at thePacific Missile Range Facilityat Barking Sands in Hawaii.
Variants
- C-26A
- Military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-AC).
- C-26B
- Military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-BC) and Metro 23 (Model SA227-DC).
- RC-26B
- C-26B modified with electronic surveillance equipment for drug interdiction missions.Ten remain in service with the Air National Guard as of March 2019.
- UC-26C
- Was a used 1983-built Merlin IVC operated for several years as 89-1471.Modified with an integrated sensor package including forward-looking infrared and high resolution radar.
- C-26D
- C-26Bs transferred from USAF inventory and modified with new navigation equipment for the US Navy, four used for rapid response cargo and passenger transportation in Europe.
- EC-26D
- One range support aircraft operated by the US Navy’sPacific Missile Range Facilityat Barking Sands.
- RC-26D
- Two range support aircraft operated by the US Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands with installed radar units.
- C-26E
- Upgrade of 11 C-26B aircraft including an improved Rockwell Collins Proline 21 Electronic Flight Instrument System.
Use for surveillance of protests
In early June 2020, the US National Guard deployed an RC-26B to El Dorado Hills near Sacramento, California, apparently in response to a walking tour by young black entrepreneurs.The deployment occurred without the knowledge or approval ofGavin Newsom, the Governor of California.
Three more RC-26Bs were used to observe demonstrators in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.
Operators
- Barbados
- Barbados Air Wing–Regional Security System2 C-26A
- Colombia
- Colombian Air Force
- Colombian National Police
- Mexico
- Mexican Air Force– 2 as of December 2018.
- Peru
- Peruvian Air Force– 3 as of December 2018.
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard– 2 as of December 2018.
- United States
- United States Air Force
- United States Army
- United States Navy
- Venezuela
- Venezuelan Air Force– 1 as of December 2018.
Specifications (C-26A)
General characteristics
- Crew:two
- Capacity:22/14 passengers
- Length:42ft 2in (12.85m)
- Wingspan:46ft 3in (14.01m)
- Height:16ft 10in (5.13m)
- Max takeoff weight:14,000lb (6,400kg)
- Fuel capacity:625 gal (2,370 L)
- Powerplant:2 ×Allied Signal Garrett TPE-331-11U-601Gturboprops, 1,400hp (1,000kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed:331mph (533km/h, 288kn)
- Range:2,331mi (3,750km, 2,025nmi)
- Service ceiling:31,000ft (9,500m)
- Power/mass:0.2 hp/lb (337.5 W/kg)
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Beechcraft 1900
- C-12 Huron
- Saab 340
- Saab 2000
References
- ^“DoD 412.15 Military”(PDF). Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2007-10-25. Retrieved2008-03-16.
- ^“Fairchild Air Force Base C-26B Metroliner page”. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-03-04. Retrieved2008-03-16.
- ^“www.uswarplanes.net/commutertypes.html”. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-28. Retrieved2008-03-16.
- ^Turboprop Production Lists Home PageArchived2008-06-20 at theWayback MachineMetro production list accessed via this site 25 August 2007.
- ^Baugher, Joe.“USAF FY1986 Serial Number list.”Archived2015-11-08 at theWayback MachineUSAF Aircraft.Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^Verified by conducting an online search of the Fuerza Aérea Venezolana database at“Archived copy”. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-03-13. Retrieved2008-03-16.on 25 August 2007, using the serial numbers “0009” and “1964”. It would appear that theUSAFtook delivery of two aircraft serialled 86-0456 and the first (Fairchild c/n AC-745B) was passed to the FAV as 0009, the second being procured to replace that aircraft. The USAF FY1986 Serial Number list has 86-0455 (Fairchild c/n AC-744B) going to the FAV, but the other sources show it was 86-0456/AC-745B.
- ^Baugher, Joe.“USAF FY1990 Serial Number list.”[permanent dead link]USAF Aircraft.Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^Baugher, Joe.“USAF FY1991 Serial Number list.”[permanent dead link]USAF Aircraft.Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^ Baugher, Joe.“USAF FY1989 Serial Number list”.[permanent dead link]USAF Aircraft. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^“Coastwatch Tender to Usher In New Age of Surveillance.”Australian Aviationmagazine No. 93, December 1993, pp. 24–27. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.
- ^“C-26.”Archived2008-03-13 at theWayback MachineGlobalsecurity.org.Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
- ^Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraftArchived2012-11-08 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraftArchived2012-11-08 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraftArchived2012-11-08 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^Picture of the Fairchild RC-26B Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraftArchived2012-11-08 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ PittawayAir InternationalMarch 2019, p. 31.
- ^Picture of the Fairchild C-26D Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraftArchived2012-11-08 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^Picture of the Fairchild C-26D Metro 23 (SA-227DC) aircraftArchived2012-11-08 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^Airman, 2007 special edition, published by the USAF.
- ^ “How a surveillance plane was sent to one wealthy suburb”.NBC News.
- ^Pringle, Paul.“Spy plane was sent to monitor protest in affluent suburb, home to head of California National Guard”.Los Angeles Times. Retrieved18 October2020.
- ^“RSS Air Wing”. Retrieved29 October2020.
- ^HoyleFlight International4–10 December 2018, p. 49.
- ^HoyleFlight International4–10 December 2018, p. 52.
- ^HoyleFlight International4–10 December 2018, p. 57.
- ^HoyleFlight International4–10 December 2018, p. 58.
- ^ HoyleFlight International4–10 December 2018, p. 59.
- ^HoyleFlight International4–10 December 2018, p. 60.
Bibliography
- Donald, David, general editor.Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobico*ke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997.ISBN1-85605-375-X.
- Endes, Günter. “Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro/Merlin”.The Illustrated Directory of Modern Commercial Aircraft. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 2001.ISBN0-7603-1125-0.
- Frawley, Gerard. “Fairchild Dornier Metro II, III & 23”.The International Directory of Civil Aircraft. Canberra: Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd., 1997.ISBN1-875671-26-9.
- Hoyle, Craig. “World Air Forces Directory”.Flight International. 4–10 December 2018, Vol. 194, No. 5665, pp.32–60.ISSN0015-3710.
- Palmer, Trisha, ed. “Swearingen Metro and Metro II/III”.Encyclopedia of the World’s Commercial and Private Aircraft. New York: Crescent Books, 2001.ISBN0-517-36285-6.
- Pittaway, Nigel. “Elbit to upgrade Condors”.Air International, March 2019, Volume 96, No. 3. p.31.ISSN0306-5634
