McDonnell Douglas C-9

C-9 Nightingale/Skytrain II
A C-9B Skytrain II of the US Navy
Role Military transport aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer McDonnell Douglas
Introduction 1968
Retired September 2005 (USAF C-9A);
July 2014 (USN C-9B);
April 2017 (USMC C-9B)
Status On display
Primary users United States Air Force (historical)
United States Navy (historical)
United States Marine Corps (historical)
Kuwait Air Force (historical)
Number built 48
Developed from McDonnell Douglas DC-9

The McDonnell Douglas C-9 is a retired military version of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airliner. It was produced as the C-9A Nightingale for the United States Air Force, and the C-9B Skytrain II for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The final flight of the C-9A Nightingale was in September 2005,[1] and the C-9C was retired in September 2011. The U.S. Navy retired its last C-9B in July 2014.[2] The two remaining C-9s in Marine service were retired in April 2017.[3]

Despite being officially retired, one C-9B, BuNo 161529, was seen as late as November 2020 being operated by the U.S. Air Force as an experimental sensor testbed. [4]

  1. ^ "Historic C-9 heads to Andrews for retirement". US Air Force, 24 September 2005.
  2. ^ Rogoway, Tyler (19 July 2014). "The US Navy Finally Retires The C-9B Skytrain II After 41 Years".
  3. ^ "SEAPOWER Magazine Online". Archived from the original on 2018-12-16. Retrieved 2018-12-15.
  4. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (2021-08-03). "Retired Marine C-9B Jet Transport Is Getting Second Life As An Air Force Sensor Testbed". The Drive. Retrieved 2022-07-18.