“The C-119 Flying Boxcar was an instrumental aircraft in saving the lives of 80,000-plus U.S. Soldiers and civilians during the Korean War,” race director Brandon Hough said. “It is a story many do not know and is often not told, (so) we are proud to share that story and many others about the C-119 as part of its feature in our History and Heritage Race Series.”
The Flying Boxcar was developed in the middle of World War II but used in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Nearly 1,200 Boxcars were built with the majority seeing heavy use in Asia as a troop and equipment transport aircraft.
The C-119 Flying Boxcar had 22 military variants. The C-119J on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force had a maximum speed of 290 mph, range of 1,827 miles, and could carry 62 fully equipped troops, or 30 pounds of cargo.
The museum’s C-119J is also notable for being the first airplane to make a midair recovery of an object returning from space.
As more modern aircraft replaced the C-119 in the Air Force, the aircraft went on to have a long life serving various civilian uses, including fighting wildfires for the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management and providing cargo service.
Each History & Heritage Race Series participant will receive a patch and information card highlighting the featured aircraft for that particular event, finisher’s medal and downloadable completion certificate.
Runners have the option to compete in the marathon, half marathon, 10K or 5K. To upload results, use a GPS-tracking app that confirms time and mileage.
The 2022 History & Heritage Race Series will kick off Dec. 1, when the first aircraft of next year’s virtual series will be revealed.
For more information and to register for the race, visit http://usafvirtual.com.
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