McDonnell Douglas YC-15

The McDonnell Douglas YC-15 was a prototype four-engine short take-off and landing tactical transport, the company entry in the United States Air Force Advanced Medium STOL Transport competition to replace the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The request for proposals of January 1972 asked for operations from a 2,000 foot semi-prepared field with a 27,000 pound payload, and in November 1972 the Boeing and McDonnell Douglas bids were selected for development. Two YC-15s were built and the first flew on 26 August 1975. Neither it nor the rival Boeing YC-14 was ordered into production, although the basic design was used for the later C-17 Globemaster III.