Page 29 - Volume 15 Number 9

loiter time. The company built 31 Model 200T King Airs across an 11-year period ending in 1987.
Since that time a large number of different commercial and military variations of the Model 200 series King Air have been developed to meet a staggering array of unique and classified surveillance and monitoring requirements. These airplanes serve a wide range of customers whose missions vary from coastal patrol to gathering intelligence on potential adversaries and terrorist organizations. Over the years the company has repeatedly refused to identify certain nations that operate these aircraft, chiefly for security reasons. It is known, however, that five FWC-12D airplanes were listed as Foreign Military Sales in 1983 to Israel, and that nation continues to employ sophisticated versions of Special Missions King Airs as an integral part of its Israeli Defense Force structure.
Throughout the late 1970s and into the present decade, the Model 200 and its successor, the Model B200, continue to attract U.S. and foreign military sales for Special Missions applications ranging from VIP transport to intelligence gathering, monitoring and communications.
The Army, Navy and the U.S. Air Force have been repeat customers for the C-12 series that began in 1974 with the C-12A (Model A200), of which 34 were ordered by those services. Another 20 were built in 1975 followed by 32 in 1976 and 18 for the Army in 1977.
The final 20 C-12A transports were built in 1978 before that model was replaced by the C/UC-12B (Model A200C). The Navy acquired nine airplanes for personnel and light utility missions (also operated by the U.S. Marine Corps) that were facilitated by installation of a 52-inch x 52-inch cargo door shared with the commercial Model 200C King Air. The factory produced 66 UC-12Bs from 1979-1982. The Air Force bought 12 UC- 12F versions in 1986 that were similar to the UC-12B. Of these airplanes, c/n BU-11 and c/n BU-12 were specially modified for surveillance of firing range operations that were part of the Air Force’s “RANSAC” mission. In 1988, the company delivered six C-12J airplanes that were based on the commercial Model 1900C-1 originally developed for the 19-seat commuter airlines market. KA
*This article was previously published in the March 2013 issue.
Ed Phillips, now retired and living in the South, has researched and written eight books on the unique and rich aviation history that belongs to Wichita, Kan. His writings have focused on the evolution of the airplanes, companies and people that have made Wichita the “Air Capital of the World” for more than 80 years.
27 8 24
SEPTEMBER 2021
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 27