i was browsing the web ages ago and came across the experimental turbine modifications of some propliner transports that the USAF experimented with in the 50s and 60s and it gave me an idea that Osea actually made and used these turbine conversions until the years after the belkan war as they were stop gaps till Osea got the aircraft it wanted so i’ll start with the C-97 Stratofreighter which was converted from the R4360-59B radial engines which produced 13,000 horsepower to the T34-5 turboprops totalling 20,900 horsepower the J-model variants replaced their piston powered versions however the C-124B Globemaster 2 will not be used as its job had been taken by the Starlifter.

The C-97J Stratofreighter is the base cargo and troop transport version that could carry 134 troops or 75000ibs of cargo with a crew of 6 to 7 now onto its modifications

The EC-97J Stratofreighter is an electronic intelligence gathering aircraft that Osea would use to spy on Belka until being replaced by the EC-`130E aircraft.

now onto the 2nd modification the HC-97J Stratofreighter Search and Rescue aircraft now i can guess what you are thinking why does Osea need this plane when they’d have the HC-130H, N and P Combat Kings well they are for Combat Search and Rescue operations but the HC-97G Stratofreighter and its turbine variant the HC-97J Stratofreighter built for Search and Rescue operations until they were replaced by HC-130Js.

Now we move onto the aircraft Osea kept in use the longest out of the variants the KC-97J Stratofreighter tanker which could carry Osea built to serve as their helicopter refueller for the Search and Rescue UH-60Js until the KC-130H hercules came into service but if you’re wondering what these variants looked like well i’ll show you at the end now onto to our last 2 modifications.

now our fourth modification is the MC-97J Stratofreighter Medical Evacuation Transport which does what its job suggests it can carry the wounded and was designed to replace the MC-54A Skymaster, MC-54M Skymaster, MC-97G Stratofreighter and MC-119J Flying Boxcar medical evacuation transports and could carry 69 Medical Evacuation passengers but this one was replaced by Globemaster 3s

and last but not least the final modification the VC-97J Stratofreighter which was designed as VIP Transport and took over from the fleet of VC-54 Skymasters, VC-97D Stratofreighter and VC-123B providers although it was the first to go in the post Belkan war disarmament.

so i said i’d show you what these variants looked like but the C-97J shares the same design as the HC-97J, MC-97J and VC-97J

C-97j stratofreighter
a silver C-97J Stratofreighter that had a double-bubble type fuselage with four T34-5 turbine engines mounted on its wing with two underwing pods.

Ec-97J Stratofreighter

a light grey EC-97J Stratofreighter that had Electronic intel gathering equipment fixed to its rear fuselage

Kc-97j Stratofreighter

a silvery grey KC-97J Stratofreighter had a double-bubble fuselage with a straight wing that had four T34-5 Turboprops and two pods between the engines fixed near the outboard engines. The fuselage had a cargo door midway across the forward fuselage with a refuelling boom fixed on the rear fuselage with a refueling hose fixed inside the rear fuselage.

so this covers the C-97J Stratofreighter next time i’ll be covering the c-121f super constellation

see ya all soon