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| Keywords: Fairchild C-123K Provider USAF.jpg The Fairchild C-123K Provider of the USAF Museum s/n 56-4362 on display saw extensive service during the Southeast Asia War as a sprayer and Ranch Hand personnel developed a strong symbolic attachment to this aircraft The aircraft took almost 600 hits in combat and it was named Patches for the damage repairs that covered it Moreover seven of its crew received the Purple Heart for wounds received in battle It is painted in South Vietnamese colours as were used when the aircraft flew Ranch Hand -missions Patches was accepted by the USAF in 1957 as a C-123B and it went to Vietnam in 1961 to fly as a low-level defoliant sprayer In 1965 it was redesignated to UC-123B In 1967 Patches became a dedicated insecticide sprayer to control malaria-carrying mosquitoes and in 1968 Fairchild converted it to a UC-123K Patches came back to the U S in 1972 and served in the Air Force Reserve as a C-123K until it was retired to the museum in 1980 USAF Museum website http //www nationalmuseum af mil/factsheets/factsheet asp id 310 unknown USAF PD-USGov Air force of South Vietnam VNAF Aircraft at the National Museum of the United States Air Force Fairchild C-123 Provider Operation Ranch Hand | ||||
