McDonnell Douglas YC-15
S/N 72-1875 

The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) YC-15 was a four engine short take-off and landing (STOL) tactical transport. It was McDonnell Douglas’ entrant into the United States Air Force’s Advanced Medium STOL Transport (AMST) competition to replace the Lockheed C-130 Hercules as the USAF’s standard STOL tactical transport. In the end, neither the YC-15 nor the Boeing YC-14 was ordered into production, although the YC-15’s basic design would be used to form the successful C-17 Globemaster III.

Two YC-15s were built, one with a wingspan of 110 feet (S/N 72-1876) and one with 132 feet (S/N 72-1875). Both were 124 feet long and powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 engines. The first flight was 26 August 1975