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US Navy UC-12B 161206 from NAS North Island Base Flight, plus the one-off NC-12B 161311 from the Air Anti-Submarine Warfare Center, also resident at North Island, are seen here on September 7 at the base during the disestablishment ceremony for the type. US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Russell
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US Navy Retires UC-12B Hurons
A ceremony was held at NAS North Island, California, on September 7 to formally retire the UC-12B from service.
Dave Allport - 9-Sep-2011
A DISESTABLISHMENT ceremony was held on September 7 at Naval Base Coronado, Naval Air Station North Island, California, to mark retirement of the UC-12B Huron from US Navy service in the continental US.
Acting as a backdrop for the proceedings were two of the resident aircraft, UC-12B 161206 from NAS North Island Base Flight, plus the one-off NC-12B 161311 from the Air Anti-Submarine Warfare Center, which was used as a trials aircraft for sonobuoy testing.
Although Stateside Hurons are being retired, the type will remain in service in other parts of the world, although these are newer US Marine Corps-operated UC-12F variants.
The decision to retire the aircraft was brought about by the need for economy in the current financial climate, with the Navy no longer being able to justify the cost of operating the aircraft with the availability of lower cost commercial transportation.
The remaining US Navy UC-12Bs in service with various Base Flights will now be progressively retired to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARG) at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, including the aircraft just withdrawn at North Island.
A total of 14 of the 36 UC-12Bs originally acquired are already in storage at AMARG, while three have previously been disposed of, one written-off and another modified to the NC-12B.
In addition, 30 TC-12B training variants were also bought by the US Navy, of which five are now stored in AMARG, while the remainder continue in service with Training Squadron VT-35 ‘Stingrays’ at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas.
The Huron first flew on October 12, 1972, following which the US Navy purchased the type in 1979.
The type has been used not only by US Navy, but also the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps.
The aircraft was used for a variety of roles, including embassy support, medical evacuation and transport of passengers and cargo.