YAC-1  Caribou

The Army ordered five preproduction evaluation aircraft from DeHavilland of Canada (DHC) early in 1957 under the designation YAC-1 Caribou.  YAC-1 (57-3079) (cn 3) first flew early in 1959. While on a test flight on February 24, 1959 developed tail flutter and crashed near Uxbridgr, Canada, both test pilots jumped and landed safely but the aircraft was destroyed. The problems were fixed and YAC-1 57-3080 (cn 4), 57-3079 (cn 5 (replaced cn 3)) and 57-3081 (cn 6) were delivered to the Army on October 8, 1959. The remaining two aircraft 57-3082 (cn 7 and 57-3083 (cn 8) were delivered on December 3, 1959. The five preproduction YAC-1s were never brought up to production Caribou standards and records indicate that the YAC-1s remained in the Army colors and inventory throughout their operational service.

Newest data shown in red   September 17, 2018

57-3079 (cn 3)

<<< CF-LKI-X (57-3079 (c/n 3) at DHC Downsview facility in 1959

>>> CF-LKI-X wreckage near Uxbridge, Canada on February 24, 1959.

 

57-3080 (cn 4)

<<< ARVN troops at a staging area in Ca Mau on 2/25/63. In the background is Caribou 57-3080 assigned to the ARPA. It was the only Army Caribou in RVN to have an America flag on its tail. (US Army photo from the collection of Ralph Young)

>>> Support aircraft for the Army's Silver Eagle Helicopter Demonstration team. Date and location unknown. (Len Lundh)

Fort Rucker Army Aviation Museum, AL

<<< At the Fort Rucker Museum back in the late 80's before they began construction on the new museum. (Donald Bates, Jr)

>>> September, 2003.  (Plane-Crazy/Ken)

 

With new paint job September, 2002.             (Dick Piety)

 

57-3079 (cn 5)

<<< Caribous 57-3079, 57-3080 and 57-3081at Fort Eustis, VA, date unknown.   (Army Transportation Museum, Fort Eustis, VA) 

>>> at Cairns AAF - Fort Rucker, AL, April -1966   (Chuck Ross)

<<< At Red Bank, NJ in 3/70.  (Bruce Sinclair)

>>> US Army Golden Knight Jump Team members leave 57-3079. Date & Location unknown.  (Mutza collection)

 

57-3081 (cn 6)

<<< With Canadian test registration CF-LQV-X on it tail. Date & Location unknown. (Mutza collection)

>>> At Oakland (Metro) International (OAK) USA - California, November 1971. ( John P. Stewart)

<<< On Operation "Polar Thrust" in February, 1964 at Army Airfield at Fort Greeley near Fairbanks, Alaska. (John Sanford)

>>> Mortal remains of a Caribou in the Western International scrap yard. Tucson - Davis-Monthan AFB (DMA /KDMA) Arizona, November 2, 2006.  (Phil Drake)

 

57-3082 (cn 7)

>>> In Arctic Colors.  (DeHavilland)

>>> (Jim Davis)

<<< At Fort Rucker, AL in 1961.  (AOCA archives)

>>> 1975 assigned to the Golden Knights Parachute Team (Bob Picket via Wayne Mutza)

 

57-3083 (cn 8)

 

<<< Test flight over Canada. (DeHavilland)

>>> Support aircraft for the Army's Golden Knights team. (Len Lundh)

<<< At the Fort Bragg Museum , Fayetteville, NC on May 8, 1987.  (Brian Johnstone) 

>>> On display at the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, NC  (Bob McKellar) 

 

<<< Army Caribou 73083 (c/n # 8) on a test flight over Canada in 12/59  (DeHavilland) 

 
 Taken at Ft Bragg, NC on 4 September, 2018  (Richard C Davis)

 

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