The Fairchild C-119 (known as the ‘Flying Boxcar’) was a practical and popular military freighter designed in the late 1940s and manufactured between 1949 and 1955. Some were still flying in civil use in 2011.

The Fairchild C-119 began life as an improved version of the C-82 ‘Packet’ that was designed during World War II.

The first C-119 flew in November 1947 and they began entering service in December 1949.

A total of 1,183 were manufactured between 1949 and 1955.

C-1119s served with the US Air Force and the US Navy (where it was known as the R4Q) between 1949 and 1974, participating in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

They also flew with the armed forces of 14 other countries, until as late as 1995. Many were then put to civil use and some were still flying in 2011.

This model represents a C-119 in service with the Belgian Air Force in the 1970s.

Welsh Models 1/144 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in September 2011.