IATA DHCICAO DHC4

De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou

De Havilland Canada

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Rugged STOL military transport built for austere airstrips.

First flight

1958

Category

Military STOL transport

Seating

32 troops or equivalent cargo

Range

2,103 km

Engines

Two Pratt & Whitney R-2000 radial piston engines

Status

Retired

The De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou is a twin-engine, piston-powered short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility transport aircraft developed in the late 1950s. Designed to operate from short, unprepared airstrips in remote and combat environments, it became a workhorse for military forces worldwide, particularly during the Vietnam War era. The Caribou features a high-wing configuration, rear-loading ramp, and fixed tricycle landing gear, optimized for rough-field operations. It can carry cargo, troops, or medevac patients and was praised for its ability to operate from locations inaccessible to conventional aircraft. While no longer in production, some Caribous remained in limited service with smaller air forces and civilian operators well into the 21st century. The aircraft was a landmark design that influenced subsequent STOL transport development, including the larger DHC-5 Buffalo.

Notable operators

The U.S. Army operated the Caribou extensively, as did the Royal Australian Air Force, Canadian Armed Forces, Indian Air Force, and numerous other military services.

Notable facts

›The U.S. Army's Caribou fleet was transferred to the U.S. Air Force in 1967 under an inter-service agreement.
›Over 300 Caribous were produced between 1958 and 1973.
›It can operate from airstrips as short as 370 meters under ideal conditions.
›The Royal Australian Air Force used Caribous extensively in Vietnam and kept them in service until 2009.
›Its rear clamshell doors and ramp allow direct loading of vehicles and palletized cargo.