I was in the 82nd Abn. from 1975 to 1978. A YC15 came in for a demo on Sicily drop zone in 1976 or 1977. It was an amazing looking aircraft. It looked like a baby C5. It was astonishing to see the flaps fully deployed. They came so close to the ground, it seemed you could climb up to the wing.

Ed Nash never disappoints.

In the end, the USAF realized they didn't need a C-130 replacement, but a C-141 replacement. That's why the USAF ended up with 222 C-17A's.

It's also worth noting the C-17 is not a bad STOL aircraft in its own right. I'm sure the YC-14, YC-15, and C-130 all have the C-17 beat in that capacity, but for an aircraft as large as thd C-17 is, it can land on and take off from surprisingly short airstrips. The engines used on the C-17 have a very unique thrust reverser. Most turbofans only use thrust reverser on the bypass air, which provides 80-90% the total thrust of the engine. The C-17 however also thrust reverses the core. The main reason for this is that it allows the aircraft to load cargo while the engines are running, as the thrust reverser prevents jet wash to the aft. But it also makes the thrust reverser slightly better since there is no longer reversed bypass thrust fighting core thrust. ... Also, I didnt know this until recently, but apparently the C-17 can deploy thrust reversers while flying. This is a bit unheard of, most aircraft use a weight on wheels switch to prevent midflight deployment of thrust reversers for safety reasons. In the C-17s case though, because they fit into a role that overlaps between the STOL use of C-130s, and the strategic use of C-5s, C-17s may need to make VERY rapid descents into contested airfields, in dangerous airspace, or may even need high descent rate to get into rough fields in mountainous valleys. So the engineers gave the pilots the ability to deploy reverse thrust in flight to achieve insane descent rates.

I was lucky enough to have seen this aircraft as well as the Boeing YC-14 at Davis-Monthan AFB before it was it was broken up. IIRC, the YC-15 was parked next to the YC-14. Great video!

This video hits home for me...Been working on C-17s sence 2004...

Brings back memories of days of innovation and so many new aircraft coming to the field. I still love the looks of the Boeing, especially in the old TAC SEA camo scheme, but I have to agree that four engines are better than two in combat, especially for heavy-lift aircraft. Another excellent installment! Cheers!!

Wow glad i saw the camouflage YC-15 before they scraped it. Didn't know they did that. They should have loaned it to the Pima Air And Space Museum across the highway in Arizona and put it next to the YC-14. Great video footage.

Spending 4 tours overseas, I’ve had the pleasure to see almost every major Aircraft(A380 is my bucket list). 🇨🇦 Army Vet

Thanks, Ed. I knew very little about the YC-14 and even less about the YC-15. So, thanks to you, that is no longer the case. I know the Soviets took to the YC-14 design for the Antonov An 72/74 but as they have so many grass and dirty airstrips you can see why. Maybe take a look at their version at some point.

Always a renewed pleasure to watch your videos Mr Nash!👍

The '15 is damn sharp looking in that white and blue livery at the end!

5:10. The CFM-56 engine is the same one used on the KC-135R. It's a very powerful and relatively fuel efficient engine. It does, however, like to suck in any debris it can find, making it unsuitable for rough/dirt airstrips.

I love the proportions of this plane!

Was waiting for this after the tease in the YC-14 vid 😊

Thanks for including the stuff I commented on in the YC-14 video, though I suspect you already had this written. When the program that concluded with the C-17 was ongoing, there were LOTS of voices opposing the program because the range of the proposed aircraft was too short. In fact, it was WAY too short. The C-17's were designed for a "Red Storm Rising" style of theater war and we really needed a longer-range airlifter akin to the C-5. After 71 were built, the remainder were fitted with center-wing fuel tanks increasing range by about 15%. That's still not enough. Consider the C-5M and KC-10 have nearly twice the range with a similar cargo.

Thanks Mr Ed Nash..... Old Shoe🇺🇸

I love how both designs look like cereal box toys 🤪

Nice C-141 Landing Shot - I worked Dover AFB Transit Maint. almost 3 years .

Several years ago I was at Daugherty Field ( LB Airport) making a delivery, and this white YC15 craft was taxing by the main terminal, much smaller than the C17, and realized it was one of the prototypes I had heard about in Jr high from a Douglass exec whose daughter was my 7th grade teacher. Got to see one of the last export C17 production models test flying before the end of production. Thnx for the informative video.

You do great work. Love the coverage of modern "also rans." Thanks!

*Great video, Ed...👍*

C-123 please Ed? It's a sadly forgotten beauty that thing

It shares the windows of the DC10.....like the C17....there are no little savings...

President Jimmy Carter was from Georgia and the Lockheed C-130 is built there.

I've become a fan of both the YC-14 and the YC-15. At first glance, both aircraft have a slightly 'cute' appearance, but reading their history, and especially viewing the footage, one is immediately struck by how capable they come off. The YC-15 in particular gives the impression of great maneuverability. That tail-plane is almost a 2nd wing, and no doubt contributed to the aircraft's overall nimbleness.

Nice one, Ed -- thanks!

Thanks for the update I was wondering what happened to these aircraft. I was just getting out of high school and going to college so I lost track of what happened to them.

Thanks Ed .......this exemplifies how much money is poured into warfare . And the big guns in U.S aircraft development always seem to profit ....very well !!!

Great content as always, Looks like an XC-142 video is in the works, or should be...

Wow great job 👍👍👏👏🙌🙌

Hey, it’s General Esperanza’s plane from Die Hard 2! 😂

The cockpit…DC-10 both YC-15 & C-17 (great vid too Ed👍🏻)new subscriber!)

Looks similar to a BAE-146. Similar engine tail configuration, although tail is much higher on this one probably for the tail ramp loading.

The C-17 leveraged the YC15 and the DC10 programs. The DC10 contributed a lot to the power/Avionics/and maintainability.

Last I looked the YC-15 is sitting just outside the main gate, so anybody can take the side trip down Rosamond Blvd. and see it, along with an assortment of century fighters. A fun sidebar.

Should do a Caribou episode

Had the YC-14 or YC-15 been built, then not only would they cut the sheer dominance of the C-130, the A400M may have been harder to justify.

amazing

The USA, by far, has the most advanced and robust supply-chain system in history. If a runway can be built there, the USAF can get it there and keep it supplied there.

Its sad that the YC-15 and its fellow types never saw production, but to think it gave us the glory that is the C17.

Excellent.

YC-15 is remarkably similar to the Armstrong Whitworth AW681 STOL project from 10 years earlier, sadly cancelled before the prototype was built in 1965. This marked the end of Armstrong Whitworth as an aircraft manufacturer within Hawker Siddeley Group and the loss of 5000 jobs.

Can you make a video about the recent developments in Myanmar? Especially the takeover of a border crossing to China by rebels in Shan state (something which absolutely could not have happened without at least tacit Chinese approval), and the moves against the so-called "scam centers" inside Myanmar. You have access to more and better information, and I am frankly confused - is China starting to support the rebels rather than the junta? That seems unlikely.

Does anybody know why the second YC-15 was broken up? Would have been great to see it just down the street at the Pima Air and Space Museum where one of the YC-14s resides.

Concise video. Thanks

I wonder if you should do a video on the YA-7F. I don't see it in your list. Would be awesome.

At 08:54 in this video: Ed, I think you showed a brief glimpse of this aircraft in your YC-14 video. {Or it appeared briefly in SOMEBODY'S video.} Now I know what it is...👍

It looks like a BAE-146

Vibey There’s a long History of C-130 replacements following the mini C-17 Style and such Style creating the new Medium of Transport, the previously mentioned C-17 They are quite proven such as the Japanese completed C-1 and C-2 The C-130 is most certainly out of Date and needing a more forward thinking replacement soon Though Wouldn’t say any of these Old drawn designs are Good enough, Their lessons Will prove Invaluable in It’s replacement though I Hope It’s actually Innovative, not just a redundant dwarf C-17

A YC-15 sized aircraft with STOL capabilities would be perfect for near frontline resupply: small arms, ammo, food, water, medical supplies, personnel gear, electronic equipment, drones, anti-tank weapons, anti- insurgence troops, special ops forces, utilizing scarce technical personnel like medics, dappers, engineers, electronic weapons techs, ..., A decent strategic tactician would have a massive increase in options for offensive, defense, covert, special, and other operations. Such a plane would also be valuable in supplying resistance groups behind the front lines. How different would the Crimea battlefield be if multiple loads of fully supplied special ops teams backed with anti-whatever missiles, drone fleets, and light artillery could be dropped near any objective, like the Kirsch Bridge, major transport hubs, Sevastopol Harbor? But wait. My bad. That would make it useful, expense conscious, flexible, and ideal. Can't have that in a military budget.

Can you do a video on the Transall C-160?

Hey Ed, can you cover the ongoing fighting in Myanmar? Thanks.

YC-15 it what was needed for Operation Eagle Claw

Very sad we didn't get that beautiful Boeing tri-jet

Some say that if you put one of these in water, you'll get a C-17

I cannot believe they broke up the YC-15. Why😢

Hey Nash wake up operation 1027 just drop

The incessant vacillation of the military requisition process!

Mr. Nash, how about a video of a plane with no name? The O-47.

Pretty neat.

I'm wondering how the the new Embraer military cargo plane (dyslexia is on) is related, since it also plans to replace the C130.

US Military doesn´t deserve a plane as cute as the YC-15 XD

Boeing channeling the Antonov AN-72.

I really wonder how much Jimmy Carter's ax wielding had to do with the cancelation?

Does this mean we are getting an An-72 Coaler/Cheburashka video next?

Awwww its a big boy Bae 146

Looks like a mini C-17

and now embraer has the c390

I wonder how much air america had to do with all this

This is like the older brother to the baby C-5 or AC-130

Looks just like an AN 72/74

It’s a shame these aircraft didn’t get built they did what was asked but changing requirements put an end to it. I wonder what the civil market would have thought.

only thing missing is a gunship varrient!

Unbeatable Embraer Millennium C-390 best value for money 💸💰💵💷 Best seller

PG!

So the soviets bought the yc-14

Yc15 kind of looks like a shrunk down C17.

Its like an-72 only american

So in short: it was a good plane, but the plan changed.

0:47 no problem everthing comes from BREGUET 🇫🇷 ( not brejett) looks like 200 meters to take of was too weird and super flaps also.. we buid FOUR 😂and is also known as macdonel douglas 188. Thx for very good video my englis is bad finally C17 has french bood ? 😂 We might ALL have rushed at ANTONOV ... poor incredible peacefull company... destroyed..😢. Biggest carrier is... dead 😢

HS Avro regional jet on steroids, surely?

Yeet cannon 15….

Esthetically the YC-15 looks better.

Isn't this the plane in Con Air?

Good stuff. But, use Babble. English is but one of 7000 languages in the world. France is just on the other side of that puddle you call the channel. Bresheii (Breguet), please.

Yeah a turbo prop cannot be replaced by a turbo fan jet and vice versa that is why two aircraft where the right way to go funny no matter what kind of engineer you hire they cannot over come physics

( propaganda)