Years In Service: 1947-1990
Initial Flight: September 22, 1949
The Convair HC-131s were primarily used by the U.S. Coast Guard, Air National Guard, United States Air Force, and USN units for search and rescue. In 1959, a C-131 was the first aircraft to be used as a reduced-gravity aircraft, or ‘vomit comet’, for astronaut training as part of Project Mercury.
Aircraft Specifications
Height: 26′ 11″ Wingspan: 91′ 9″ Length: 74′ 8″ Crew: 2-3 Payload: 37 passengers or 28 stretchers Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18 Double Wasp Horsepower: 2,100 hp. No. of Engines: 2 Max Speed: 321 mph Cruise speed: 291 mph