¶ At Philadelphia, newsmen and Pentagon brass watched the YC-123E "Panto-base" plane, a new amphibious version of the Air Force's land-based Chase C-123 transport, go through its paces on the Delaware River. Pilot Bernie Hughes made a normal take-off from nearby Mustin Naval Air Station, then pulled up the wheels, lowered a pair of 13-ft. skis from the plane's belly and made several demonstration landings and take-offs on the water. Unlike regular amphibians, the two-engined YC-123E loses a minimum of speed and range with its new landing gear, can land on concrete runways...
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