McDonnell Douglas C-9

C-9 Nightingale/Skytrain II

A C-9A Nightingale used for Aeromedical Evacuation
Role	Jet transport
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	McDonnell Douglas
Introduction	1968
Retired	September 2005 (USAF C-9A)
Status	Operational (USMC and NASA); retired (USAF and USN)
Primary users	United States Air Force United States Navy
Number built	48
Developed from	McDonnell Douglas DC-9

The McDonnell Douglas C-9 is a military version of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airliner. It was produced as the C-9A Nightingale for the United States Air Force, and the C-9B Skytrain II for the U.S. Naval Reserve and Marine Corps. The final active-duty flight of the C-9A Nightingale was in September 2005,^[1] and the C-40 Clipper is replacing the Navy Reserve's aging C-9B fleet.^[2]^[3]

Design and development 1
Variants 2
Operators 3
Specifications (C-9B) 4
Aircraft on display 5
See also 6
References 7
External links 8

Design and development

In 1966, the U.S. Air Force identified a need for an aeromedical transport aircraft and ordered C-9A Nightingale aircraft the following year. Deliveries began in 1968,^[4] and the C-9As were used for medical evacuation, passenger transportation, and special missions from 1968 to 2005. The C-9A aircraft were named for English social reformer Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), the founder of modern nursing.^[5]

A US Air Force C-9A Nightingale in 1968

After selecting a modified DC-9 for passenger and cargo transport, the U.S. Navy ordered its first five C-9Bs in April 1972.^[4] The C-9B aircraft have provided cargo and passenger transportation as well as forward deployed air logistics support for the Navy and Marine Corps. (The original "Skytrain" was the famous C-47 of the World War II era, developed from the civilian DC-3.) A C-9B was also chosen by NASA for reduced gravity research,^[6] replacing the aging KC-135 Vomit Comet.

Many of the Navy's C-9Bs have a higher maximum gross take-off weight of 114,000 lb (52,000 kg) and are fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks installed in the lower cargo hold to augment the aircraft's range to nearly 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km) for overseas missions along with tail mounted infra-red scramblers to counter heat seeking missile threats in hostile environments.

A C-9 Skytrain II offloading on the ramp at Naval Air Station Brunswick.

The C-9 fleet was located throughout the continental U.S., Europe, and Asia.^[7]

Variants

C-9A Nightingale - 23 aeromedical evacuation aircraft for the United States Air Force received from 1968.^[8]

C-9B Skytrain II - 24 convertible passenger/transport versions for the United States Navy and Marine Corps delivered from 1973 to 1976. An additional five C-9s were converted from passenger configured DC-9s.^[8]

VC-9C - 3 executive transport aircraft for the United States Air Force.^[8] The three aircraft were delivered to the US Air Force in late 1976.

C-9K - 2 aircraft for the Kuwait Air Force.^[8]

Operators

A US Navy C-9B Skytrain II

Kuwait

Kuwait Air Force

United States

United States Air Force

C-9A

86th Airlift Wing - Ramstein Air Base, Germany 1993-2003

75th Airlift Squadron

2d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1993-94

86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1994-2003

374th Tactical Airlift Wing - Clark Air Base, The Philippines 1974-89

20th Operations Squadron 1974-75

20th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron 1975-89

9th Aeromedical Evacuation Group 1974-75

9th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1975-89

374th Tactical Airlift Wing/Airlift Wing - Yokota Air Base, Japan 1989-2004

20th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron/Airlift Squadron 1989-93

30th Airlift Squadron 1993-2004

9th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1993-94

374th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1994-2004

375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing/Airlift Wing - Scott AFB, Illinois 1968-2003

11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron/Airlift Squadron

57th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1973-94

375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1994-2003

405th Fighter Wing - Clark Air Base, the Philippines 1972-74

20th Operations Squadron

9th Aeromedical Evacuation Group

10th Aeromedical Evacuation Group

435 Tactical Airlift Wing/Airlift Wing - Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany 1975-93

55th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron/Airlift Squadron

2d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron

932d Aeromedical Airlift Group/Aeromedical Airlift Wing/Airlift Wing - Scott AFB, Illinois 1969-2005

73d Aeromedical Airlift Squadron/Airlift Squadron

73d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1972-94

932d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron 1994-2005

C-9C

89th Military Airlift Wing/Airlift Wing - Andrews AFB, Maryland 1975-2005

1st Military Airlift Squadron/Airlift Squadron 1977-88

98th Military Airlift Squadron 1975-77

99th Military Airlift Squadron/Airlift Squadron 1988-2005

932d Airlift Wing - Scott AFB, Illinois 2005-2011

73d Airlift Squadron

United States Navy C-9B

Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 46 - Georgia 1985-2009

NAS/JRB Fort Worth, Texas 2009-12

Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 52 - NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania 1972-2011

McGuire AFB, New Jersey 2011-12

Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 56 - NAS Norfolk, Virginia 1976-99

NAS Oceana, Virginia 1999-2011

Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 57 - NAS North Island, California 1977-2005
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 58 - NAS Jacksonville, Florida 1978-2002
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 59 - NAS Dallas, Texas 1982-1998

NAS/JRB Fort Worth, Texas 1998-2000

Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 61 - NAS Whidbey Island, Washington 1982-2014

United States Marine Corps C-9B

2d Marine Air Wing - MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina 1975-

Station Operations and Engineering Squadron 1975-97

Marine Transport Squadron (VMR) 1 1997-

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Johnson Space Center 2003-

Specifications (C-9B)

The cockpit of a C-9B Skytrain

Data from Encyclopedia of World Air Power^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: 5 to 8
Capacity: 76
Length: 119 ft 3 in (36.36 m)
Wingspan: 93 ft 5 in (28.42 m)
Height: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Wing area: 1,001 ft² (92.97 m²)
Empty weight: 59,700 lb (27,080 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 110,000 lb (49,900 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 turbofan, 14,500 lbf (64.5 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 0.84 (576 mph, 927 km/h)
Cruise speed: 504 mph (485 knots, 811 km/h)
Range: 2,900 mi (4,700 km)
Service ceiling: 37,000 ft (11,000 m)
Rate of climb: 3,000+ ft/min (900+ m/min)

Aircraft on display

C-9A (AF serial number 67-22584) is the first C-9A accepted for the Military Airlift Command, and was additionally the first American jet aircraft specifically designed for medical evacuation. It is on display at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.^[9]
C-9A (AF serial number 71-0877) is on display at Scott AFB, Illinois
C-9A (AF serial numbr 71-0878) is on display in front of Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center at Lackland AFB, Texas
VC-9C (AF serial number 73-1682) is on display at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB, Delaware

References

^ "Historic C-9 heads to Andrews for retirement". US Air Force, 24 September 2005.
^ C-40A Clipper history page. US Navy, 16 November 2000.
^ "C-9B Skytrain II Completes 30 years of Continuous Fleet Support". US Navy, 2 June 2003.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Air Power. New York, NY: Crescent Books, 1986. ISBN 0-517-49969-X.
^ McEntee, Marni (August 5, 2003). "Air Force retiring Nightingale fleet". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
^ The History of C-9B Reduced Gravity Research Program. NASA/JSC, March 25, 2008
^ C-9 Skytrain fact file. US Navy, 15 April 2005.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Becher, Thomas. Douglas Twinjets, DC-9, MD-90, MD-90 and Boeing 717, pp. 170-176, Crowood Press, Aviation Series, 2002. ISBN 1-86126-446-1.
^ [2] Drummer, Janene L. and Wilcoxson, Kathryn A. "Chronological History of the C-9A Nightingale." March 2001. Retrieved July 9 2015.

External links

C-9 Skytrain fact file and C-9 history page on U.S. Navy site
C-9 Nightingale page and C-9 Nightingale/Skytrain pages on U.S. Air Force site
C-9 Nightingale/Skytrain GlobalSecurity.org
"Goodbye to an era", deploymentlink.osd.mil, Fall 2003
The Chronological History of the C-9A NightingaleAir Mobility Command:
Air Mobility Command Museum: C-9A/C Nightingale
AMARC Experience: McDonnell Douglas C-9A Nightingale

Douglas military aircraft

Fighters	XP-48 P-70 F-6 F-10 XFD F3D F4D F5D XF6D

Ground attack	XA-2 A-20 A-24 A-26 A-33 A-1 A-3 A-4/A-4AR/A-4SU DT T2D XT3D TBD SBD BD XBTD XTB2D AD XA2D A3D A4D

Bombers	YB-7 YB-11 B-18 XB-19 XB-22 B-23 B-26 XB-31 XB-42 XB-43 B-66 DB-1 DB-2 DB-7 DB-8 DB-19 DB-73 Boston I/II/III/IV/V Digby I Havoc I/II DXD1

Observation	O-2 OD O2D O-31 O-35 O-38 O-43 YO-44 O-46 O-53 YOA-5

Patrol	PD P2D P3D

Reconnaissance	F-3

Transports	C-1 C-21 C-32 C-33 YC-34 C-38 C-39 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-58 UC-67 C-68 C-74 C-84 C-110 XC-112/YC-112 XC-114 YC-116 C-117 C-118 C-124 YC-129 C-133 C-9 C-24 RD R2D R3D R4D (R4D-2 & R4D-4) R5D JD R6D CC-129 Dakota I/III/IV Dakota II LXD1 PD.808 Skymaster I

Gliders	XCG-17

Training aircraft	BT-1 BT-2 XT-30

Experimental	DWC D-558-1 D-558-2 X-3

McDonnell and McDonnell Douglas military aircraft and spacecraft

Fighters

USAAF / US Air Force	XP-67 XF-85 XF-88 F-101 F-110 F-4 F-15 F-15E YF-23

US Navy / USMC	FH F2H F3H F-4 F/A-18 F/A-18E/F

Export	F-4J(UK) / F-4K / F-4M CF-18 / CF-188

Licensed	F-15J

Attack

US Navy / USMC	A-4M AV-8B A-12

Export	A-4G

Trainers

US Navy	T-45

Transports

US Air Force	Model 119 C-9 KC-10 YC-15 C-17

US Navy	C-9

Licensed	Model 188

Helicopters

US Army / US Air Force	XH-20 AH-64

US Navy	XHJH XHCH XHRH

Export	Defender

Drones (UAVs)

US Air Force	ADM-20

US Navy	KDH

Experimental

US Army / US Air Force	XV-1 X-36 F-15 STOL/MTD Bird of Prey

Spacecraft

NASA	Mercury Gemini Skylab

US Air Force	Blue Gemini

United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41/A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47/T C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70/A/B/C/D C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77/B-D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97/KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-118 C-119 C-120 C-121/F C-122 C-123/A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130/J C-131 C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135/KC-135 C-136 C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142

Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7/B C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20A-D/F-H C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27/J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46

Revived original sequence (2005-present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146

Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880

¹ Not assigned See also: AC-47 • AC-119 • AC-130 • DC-130 • EC-130 • HC-130 • KC-130 • LC-130 • MC-130 • WC-130 • CT-39 • CT-43

Current equipment of the United States Air Force

Active service &
Aircraft designation

A - Attack	A/OA-10A/C Thunderbolt II AC-130H/U/J/W Spectre/Spooky II/Ghostrider/Stinger II

B - Strategic bomber	B-1B Lancer B-2A Spirit B-52H Stratofortress

C - Cargo transport	C-5A/B/C Galaxy C-5M Super Galaxy C-12C/D/F Huron C-17A Globemaster III C-20B Gulfstream III C-20H Gulfstream IV C-21A Learjet C-27J Spartan C-37A Gulfstream V C-40B/C Clipper C-130E/H/J/J-30 Hercules CV-22B Osprey

E - Electronic warfare	E-3B/C Sentry E-4B E-8C Joint STARS E-9A Widget E-11A BACN EC-130H Compass Call EC-130J Commando Solo

F - Air superiority & Multirole fighter	F-15C/D Eagle F-15E Strike Eagle F-16C/D Fighting Falcon F-22A Raptor F-35A Lightning II

H - Search and rescue	HC-130P/N King HC-130J Combat King II HH-60G/MH-60G Pave Hawk

K - Tanker	KC-10A Extender KC-135E/R/T Stratotanker

L - Cold weather	LC-130H

M - Multi-mission	CV-22 Osprey MC-130E/H/J/P Combat Talon I/Combat Talon II/Commando II/Combat Shadow MC-12W Liberty

O - Observation	OC-135B Open Skies

Q - Remotely Piloted	MQ-1 Predator MQ-9 Reaper RQ-4A Global Hawk RQ-11B Raven RQ-170 Sentinel

R - Reconnaissance	RC-26B Condor RC-135S/U/V/W COBRA BALL/Combat Sent/Rivet Joint Scan Eagle RU-2S Dragon Lady Wasp III

T - Trainer	T-1A Jayhawk T-6A Texan II (A)T-38A/B/C Talon II TG-10B/C/D TG-15A/B Diamond T-52A

U - Utility	UH-1N Iroquois UH-1H/N/V Huey UV-18A/B Twin Otter U-28A

V – VIP/staff transport	VC-9C VC-25A (Air Force One) C-32A/B (Air Force Two) C-40B/C Clipper

W – Weather reconnaissance	WC-130J Hercules WC-135W Constant Phoenix

Other/undesignated	An-26 (6th SOS) CN-235-100 (427th SOS) Mi-8 (6th SOS)

Space
systems

Launch vehicle	Atlas V Delta II Delta IV

Satellite	Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) Defense Support Program (DSP) Global Positioning System (GPS) Milstar Satellite Communications System Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Wideband Global SATCOM

Ground
systems

C2	AN/USQ-163 Falconer AN/GSQ-272 Sentinel

Ground-based radar	AN/FPQ-16 Perimeter Acquisition Attack Characterization System (PARCS) AN/FPS-123 Early Warning Radar (EWR) AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) AN/FPS-85 AN/FPS-133 Air Force Space Surveillance System (AFSSS) AN/FSQ-114 Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) AN/FSQ-224 Morón Optical Space Surveillance (MOSS) Rapid Attack, Identification, Detection, and Reporting System (RAIDRS)

Ground vehicle	HMMWV LSSV R-5 Refueler R-9 Refueler R-11 Refueler C300

Munitions

Bomb	Mk-82 Mk-84 GBU-10 Paveway II GBU-12 Paveway II GBU-15 GBU-24 Paveway III GBU-27 Paveway III GBU-28 GBU-31 JDAM GBU-32 JDAM GBU-38 JDAM GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb GBU-44/B Viper Strike GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II GBU-54 Laser JDAM CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition CBU-89 Gator CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon BLU-109/B Bomb BLU-116 Bunker Buster B61 Nuclear Bomb

Gun	GAU-8 Avenger M61 Vulcan GAU-12 GAU-13 GAU-19 M240 L/60 Bofors M102 ATK GAU-23/A M2 Browning Minigun

Missile	AIM-7M Sparrow AIM-9M/X Sidewinder LGM-30G Minuteman III AGM-65A/B/D/E/G/G2/H/K Maverick AGM-84 Harpoon AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response AGM-86B/C/D Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) AGM-88A/B/C High-speed Anti-radiation Missile (HARM) AGM-114 Hellfire Air-to-Surface Missile (ASM) AIM-120B/C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) AGM-130 Powered Standoff Weapon AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM) AGM-176 Griffin Zuni rocket

Target	BQM-34 Firebee BQM-167 Subscale Aerial Target MQM-107 Streaker QF-4 Aerial Target

Sidearm/PDW	M11 Pistol M9 Pistol MP5 submachine gun USAF Pilot's Survival Knife

Rifle/Carbine	GUU-5/P Carbine M4 Carbine M14 Stand-off Munitions Disruptor (SMUD) M16A2 Rifle M24 Sniper Weapon System M107 Long Range Sniper Rifle Mk 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle

Support/CQB	M60 machine gun M2HB Browning machine gun M240B Medium Machine Gun M249 light machine gun M1014 shotgun Remington 870 MCS shotgun

Ordnance	M136 AT4 Light Anti-tank Weapon M18A1 Claymore Mine M67 Fragmentation Grenade M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW) M79 grenade launcher MK-19 automatic grenade launcher

Uniforms &
other equipment

Airman Battle Uniform (ABU)
Battle Dress Uniform (BDU)
Flight Suit
Physical Training Uniform
Service Dress Uniform
Mess Dress
CMU – 33A/P22P-18

McDonnell Douglas C-9