The Berlin Airlift and Korean War emphasized the importance of airlift
capacity. The C-133 was designed to meet an early 1950s development
contract from the USAF for a turboprop transport.
The C-133 had a high-mounted wing, and main landing gear units
retracting into external pods on each side of the fuselage ensuring that
the cargo area was not compromised by these structures. The first Cargomaster
flew in 1956. The fleet of 50 aircraft were used for transport
to Southeast Asia during the Vietnamese War. Fatigue problems led to
their withdrawal from service in 1971.
