The XC-47C was a prototype attempt in 1943 to produce an amphibious transport by adding a pair of Edo 78 floats to the workhorse C-47 Skytrain. The huge floats were equipped with retractable landing gear and additional fuel tanks. Its flight performance, especially the takeoff, was less than spectacular, and a trial with rocket assisted takeoff proved unsatisfactory. Historical accounts vary on the number of amphibian Gooney Birds that were actually put into service, although 150 sets of floats were reportedly built for field installation. Most authorities cite five field-modified aircraft, some of which were said to have been used in the Pacific and Alaskan theaters for air-sea rescue missions.