July 1953 - Air Force cancels the C-119 Flying Boxcar contract with Kaiser Motor Corporation

A senate appropriations subcomittee was delving at the end of june 1953 into the cost problem of the C-119 Flying Boxcar made by Kaiser Motor Corporation that had a cost of 1.2 million $ per unit, a huge sum compared to the 260.000 $ per unit from the Fairchild Corporation. Henry J. and his son Edgar defended the price stating that they had no previous experience and that Fairchild, the original designer of the plane, sent them information and parts which were out of date and faulty. 

In the meantime the Air Force canceled the contract with Kaiser, causing the investigation to end. The company already made 60 planes and other 11 were under construction. Those were also finished and delivered.

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images and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection