AC-123 Black Spot Racing and Unusual Boeing's gamble paid off

Boeing's gamble paid off

made its maiden flight on 23 December 1966

But in 1942

Planned as an attack aircraft with four 20mm guns

Many of these were returned to Fairchild at the end of their SAC tour

AC-123 Black Spot Racing and Unusual Boeing's gamble paid offFairchild C 123 Provider airplane model. In December of 1965, the USAF began Project Black Spot. This test program was designed to give the Air Force a self contained night attack capability to seek out and destroy targets along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In early 1966, the concept was approved by the Department of Defense and two Fairchild C 123K Providers (#54 691 and #54 698) were modified by E Systems of Greenville, Texas to the redesignated NC 123K