CONVAIR C-131F SAMARITAN

Based on the Convair CV-340 and given the Navy designation R4Y-1 a total of 36 Samaritans served the U.S. Navy as staff transports. The primary difference is the addition of a large cargo door on the side of the military versions. The Convair designs were not as successful as other airliners in civil service, but they had a long history in the military. The first were delivered in 1952 and they continued in service until well into the 1980s. The C-131s performed an unglamorous, but vital role by moving military personnel quickly and efficiently between bases.