Northrop C-125 Raider and N-23 Pioneer

[Steve Pace]

Almost forgotten tri-motors. Any decent photos out there?

 

[Jemiba]

Re: Northrop C-125 Raider and N-36 Pioneer

From FlugRevue 12/91 :

 

[Stargazer]

Re: Northrop C-125 Raider and N-36 Pioneer

Steve, great photos but you made a mistake in the title. The Pioneer was prior to the Raider and was designated the N-23. There was no actual N-36, it was only a projected derivative version.

 

[Steve Pace]

You are right. I made a boo-boo. My official NORAIR document says N-23 was a "3 eng. Freighter - Pioneer." Somehow I missed that. Next comes N-32 "Assault Transport YC-125," then the N-36 "Pioneer"

 

[verner]

Re: Northrop C-125 Raider and N-36 Pioneer

Here's a couple: Cheers

 

[Apophenia]

On the unbuilt projects side, Canadair licenced the N-32 Raider with plans to build a Canadian version as their CL-3. Canadair test pilot, Alexander Lilly, went to Northrop and flew the YC-125 in 1949. Later that year, the Canadair designation was changed to CL-12.

It's not clear whether the CL-12 designation change was made to cover local changes. As a rule, Canadair designations were not changed between civil and military types (such changes were covered by sub-type designations). It is possible that the CL-3 designation covered Canadair's YC-125A equivalent while CL-12 covered a proposed YC-125B variant for arctic operations.

Canadair customer inquiries seem to receive no positive responses. Makes me wonder if an N-23 re-engineered for only two engines might have done better on the bush side of the civil market?

 

[Jemiba]

From InterAvia 10/1946, photos of the N-23:

 

[Cy-27]

A Northrop artists impression of the Pioneer design.

Source:

The Aviation Annual of 1947 by Reginald Cleveland Published by Harper Bros. 1947