Chase Aircraft
Encyclopedia
The Chase Aircraft Company, founded in 1943, was an aircraft manufacturer of the United States of America, primarily constructing gliders and military transport aircraft
. Lacking space for expansion, the company was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser
in 1951. Plans to produce the C-123 transport for the United States Air Force
collapsed amid scandal, and the company closed in 1953. A successor company, Stroukoff Aircraft
, continued experimental work for several years before closing in 1959.
, a Russian emigré
, as president and chief designer, Chase's first aircraft design was the XCG-14
assault glider, produced for the U.S. Army Air Forces and first flying in January 1945. Development of improved, enlarged versions of the aircraft continued over the next two years, with the company moving to Trenton, New Jersey
in 1946, before the XCG-14 was superseded by the XG-18, an even larger and heavier aircraft that was the world's first all-metal transport glider.
By 1949, the United States Air Force
had determined that the glider was no longer a viable weapon on the battlefield, and the XG-18 was modified, being fitted with a pair of radial engines. Redesignated as the YC-122 Avitruc
, three prototype and none pre-production aircraft were produced, and despite favorable evaluations, the Air Force had reconsidered its requirement for small transports, and decided not to proceed with full production of the design. One YC-122, however, would later be modified into the Hiller X-18
, an experimental tiltwing
VTOL
aircraft.
, the largest glider ever built in the United States and also the last combat glider to be constructed for the U.S. military. By the time the XG-20 was ready for flight testing, gliders had been determined to be obsolete as weapons of war, and so the two aircraft were taken aside for modification. The first prototype XG-20 was fitted with twin radial engines of a larger, more powerful type than those fitted to the YC-122, and was redesignated the XC-123.
The second prototype XG-20, following public display in early 1950 at Pope AFB during Exercise Swarmer
, was taken aside for a more radical transformation, being fitted with two twin bomber
engine pods containing J47
turbojets, and flying in early 1951 as the XC-123A
, the United States' first jet-powered transport aircraft.
While the XC-123A proved too uneconomical for production, the XC-123 had greatly impressed the Air Force, which issued an order for five pre-production aircraft, designated C-123B. The prospect of large follow-up orders, however, raised an issue of capacity, as Chase's factory lacked sufficient space to construct large numbers of aircraft. Therefore, in 1951, 49 percent of Chase was purchased by Kaiser-Frazer
, who received a contract for 300 C-123B aircraft to be constructed at Kaiser's Willow Run
factory in Ann Arbor, Michigan
. Chase became an engineering shop for the company, with Stroukoff remaining with the facility as its chief engineer.
However, even as the first eight aircraft were under construction by Kaiser, the United States Senate
was conducting a series of hearings
regarding the company, concerns having been raised over subcontracting work Kaiser-Frazer was performing for Fairchild Aircraft. Kaiser had been awarded an earlier contract as a second source for construction of Fairchild's C-119
, and the aircraft produced by Kaiser were proving to be significantly more expensive than those produced by Fairchild.
The result of the hearings was the cancellation of Kaiser's contracts for both the C-119 and the C-123 in June 1953, despite the Air Force having already spent $30 million USD on preparation for production of the C-123, with another $40 million having been earmarked for use by Chase Aircraft directly for production of parts. The C-123 contract was put out for re-bid, with Fairchild proving to be the winning contractor; under Fairchild's name, the C-123 went on to see a large production run and extensive service in the Vietnam War
.
Without the C-123 contract, the new acquisition was no longer considered an asset by Kaiser-Frazer; and it announced that the company would be closed down on January 31, 1954. Stroukoff, however, acquired the buildings and remaining assests of Chase, starting his own aircraft company, Stroukoff Aircraft
, to conduct further work on experimental versions of the C-123.
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...
. Lacking space for expansion, the company was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser
Henry J. Kaiser
Henry John Kaiser was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. He established the Kaiser Shipyard which built Liberty ships during World War II, after which he formed Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel. Kaiser organized Kaiser Permanente health care...
in 1951. Plans to produce the C-123 transport for the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
collapsed amid scandal, and the company closed in 1953. A successor company, Stroukoff Aircraft
Stroukoff Aircraft
Stroukoff Aircraft was an American manufacturer of experimental military transport aircraft, established in 1954 by Michael Stroukoff. Successor to Chase Aircraft, the company specalised in developing advanced variants of the C-123 Provider; however, none of the company's designs attracted a...
, continued experimental work for several years before closing in 1959.
Early products
Founded in New York, New York in 1943 with Michael StroukoffMichael Stroukoff
Michael Stroukoff was a Russian-born aircraft designer, who served in the White Army before emigrating to the United States. After spending some time as an architect, he joined the Chase Aircraft Company and designed a number of transport aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces and the...
, a Russian emigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
, as president and chief designer, Chase's first aircraft design was the XCG-14
Chase YCG-14
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
assault glider, produced for the U.S. Army Air Forces and first flying in January 1945. Development of improved, enlarged versions of the aircraft continued over the next two years, with the company moving to Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
in 1946, before the XCG-14 was superseded by the XG-18, an even larger and heavier aircraft that was the world's first all-metal transport glider.
By 1949, the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
had determined that the glider was no longer a viable weapon on the battlefield, and the XG-18 was modified, being fitted with a pair of radial engines. Redesignated as the YC-122 Avitruc
YC-122 Avitruc
|-References:NotesBibliography* Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989. ISBN 0-517-69186-8.* World Aircraft Information Files, File 891 Sheet 26–27. London: Bright Star Publishing....
, three prototype and none pre-production aircraft were produced, and despite favorable evaluations, the Air Force had reconsidered its requirement for small transports, and decided not to proceed with full production of the design. One YC-122, however, would later be modified into the Hiller X-18
Hiller X-18
The X-18 was an experimental cargo transport aircraft designed to be the first testbed for tiltwing and VSTOL technology.-Development:...
, an experimental tiltwing
Tiltwing
A tiltwing aircraft features a wing that is horizontal for conventional forward flight and rotates up for vertical takeoff and landing. It is similar to the tiltrotor design where only the propeller and engine rotate. Tiltwing aircraft are typically fully capable of VTOL operations.The tiltwing...
VTOL
VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
aircraft.
XG-20 and the first jet transport
Meanwhile, a third, still larger, assault glider had been designed by Stroukoff, the XG-20Chase XCG-20
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
, the largest glider ever built in the United States and also the last combat glider to be constructed for the U.S. military. By the time the XG-20 was ready for flight testing, gliders had been determined to be obsolete as weapons of war, and so the two aircraft were taken aside for modification. The first prototype XG-20 was fitted with twin radial engines of a larger, more powerful type than those fitted to the YC-122, and was redesignated the XC-123.
The second prototype XG-20, following public display in early 1950 at Pope AFB during Exercise Swarmer
Exercise Swarmer
Exercise Swarmer was a military exercise conducted in the spring of 1950 by the United States Air Force, United States Army and United States Navy in the southeastern part of the United States, headquartered at Fort Bragg in the state of North Carolina...
, was taken aside for a more radical transformation, being fitted with two twin bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
engine pods containing J47
General Electric J47
|-Specifications :-Nuclear-powered version – The X39:In the 1950s, interest in the development of nuclear-powered aircraft led GE to experiment with two nuclear-powered gas turbine designs, one based on the J47, and another new and much larger engine called the X211.The design based on the J47...
turbojets, and flying in early 1951 as the XC-123A
Chase XC-123A
-See also:-External links:* Popular Science, July 1951, bottom of page 81...
, the United States' first jet-powered transport aircraft.
Kaiser and the pricing scandal
Kaiser-Frazer
The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation was the result of a partnership between automobile executive Joseph W. Frazer and industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. In 1947, the company acquired the automotive assets of Graham-Paige, of which Frazer had been president before the Second World War...
, who received a contract for 300 C-123B aircraft to be constructed at Kaiser's Willow Run
Willow Run
The Willow Run manufacturing plant, located between Ypsilanti and Belleville, Michigan, was constructed during World War II by Ford Motor Company for the mass production of the B-24 Liberator military aircraft....
factory in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. Chase became an engineering shop for the company, with Stroukoff remaining with the facility as its chief engineer.
However, even as the first eight aircraft were under construction by Kaiser, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
was conducting a series of hearings
Congressional hearing
Congressional hearings are the principal formal method by which committees collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Whether confirmation hearings — a procedure unique to the Senate — legislative, oversight, investigative, or a combination of these, all...
regarding the company, concerns having been raised over subcontracting work Kaiser-Frazer was performing for Fairchild Aircraft. Kaiser had been awarded an earlier contract as a second source for construction of Fairchild's C-119
C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
, and the aircraft produced by Kaiser were proving to be significantly more expensive than those produced by Fairchild.
The result of the hearings was the cancellation of Kaiser's contracts for both the C-119 and the C-123 in June 1953, despite the Air Force having already spent $30 million USD on preparation for production of the C-123, with another $40 million having been earmarked for use by Chase Aircraft directly for production of parts. The C-123 contract was put out for re-bid, with Fairchild proving to be the winning contractor; under Fairchild's name, the C-123 went on to see a large production run and extensive service in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Dissolution
Kaiser-Frazer, meanwhile, had bought out the remaining 51% of Chase Aircraft's shares, intending to operate the company as a wholly owned subsidiary of Willys Motors; the sale closed on September 2, 1953, after the cancellation of the Air Force's contracts.Without the C-123 contract, the new acquisition was no longer considered an asset by Kaiser-Frazer; and it announced that the company would be closed down on January 31, 1954. Stroukoff, however, acquired the buildings and remaining assests of Chase, starting his own aircraft company, Stroukoff Aircraft
Stroukoff Aircraft
Stroukoff Aircraft was an American manufacturer of experimental military transport aircraft, established in 1954 by Michael Stroukoff. Successor to Chase Aircraft, the company specalised in developing advanced variants of the C-123 Provider; however, none of the company's designs attracted a...
, to conduct further work on experimental versions of the C-123.