Beechcraft C-12 Huron

Beechcraft · United States · first flew 1974 · transport aircraft

The Beechcraft C-12 Huron is the military designation for variants of the Super King Air 200, used by US Army, Air Force, and Navy for utility transport, VIP liaison, and intelligence-gathering missions.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × turboprop, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.34 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Military version of Beechcraft Super King Air 200
Twin turboprop utility transport
T-tail and low straight wing are distinctive

Looks like a civilian King Air 200 with military grey paint and often additional blade antennas; T-tail, low straight wing, and twin PT6A turboprops on a slim fuselage.

Specifications

The Beechcraft C-12 Huron has a length of 13.34 m (44 ft).
It has a wingspan of 16.61 m (54 ft).
Its maximum speed is 536 km/h (333 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Adopted from 1974 onward as a replacement for older utility transports, the C-12 has been continuously updated and remains in active US service. Several special-mission ISR variants, including the RC-12 Guardrail, carry signals intelligence equipment.

Variants

C-12A/C/D/F are pure transport models; the RC-12D/G/H/K/N/P Guardrail family carries electronic intelligence systems. The MC-12W Liberty was a dedicated ISR platform used extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, and widely exported under FMS programs to allied air forces worldwide.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.