Fairchild C-123K Provider  N3142D            (c/n   )

                                          

                                              The Provider was first developed by the Chase Aircraft Company as a powered enhancement
                                              of a troop carrying glider.  The original design was commenced  in 1943 and resulted in the
                                              XCG-20.  By the time the powered version was put into production ten years later, Chase had
                                              been acquired by the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation (remember those ugly cars?) and the rights to
                                              producing the C-123 were given to Fairchild.  The -K sub variant was unique in that it had two
                                              auxiliary turbo jets installed in pods under the mainplanes.   This machine was ex 54-580 with
                                              the USAF and operated for a while as an aerial fire fighting tanker in whose livery it reposed at
                                              the Pima Air Musuem when this shot was taken in the 1990s.