Happy birthday Herk (C-130)!

23 Aug 1954, the first YC-130 took to the air.





Still in production after all these years. Few things flying that have done so many varied things or been built in so many variants: Cargo, transport, MEDEVAC, SAR, dropping daisy cutters to create helicopter LZs, gunships, aerial refueling tankers, maritime recon, ELINT/ECM, TACAMO, arctic missions with skis, flying PSYOPS stations, MARS, UAV control, Hurricane Hunter, firefighting, etc...

One of my favourite variants, though ultimately the task it was designed for was left unfulfilled: Credible Sport

MC-130H's were fitted with 30 solid rocket motors to enable very short take-off and landing runs for daring plan to rescue the Iran hostages.



Wiki: en.wikipedia.org...

www.military.com...

reply to post by _Del_


Awesome! Happy Birthday "Herky bird"!

I was a flying crew chief on the "Super Herc" C-130J's for 5yrs until congress cut them from our base and gave us C-27J's. Now 3yrs later... we are losing them as well by October and we are being told that our A-10's will be cut too by 2016! It's all about Cyber mission these days!

Friend of mine is a flight engineer on -130's in the Corps. Said the J's are a whole new experience. Better climb gradient, loved the new avionics. The big downside was that the mounts are the same so you cannot generate more than 19,600 inch pounds of torque despite the increase in available power. So the limit is the same, but more easily reached and sustained. They were still working out the kinks when he went back to the older model KC-130's (He also took it personally that the replaced him with a computer)



We were just talking about the Spartans in another thread.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
It'd be interesting to hear your take.

reply to post by _Del_


A C-130H going from Hickam to Marietta, GA has to stop at Travis, or somewhere on the West Coast to refuel, with two external tanks. A J, going the same route, with no externals, has just enough to reach Marietta, without quite touching their reserve. It was going to be close, but they just had enough to make it.

Damn, a sweet plane, but a pain in the arse to refuel! They were so slow that usually we had to toboggen with flaps at 20 degrees. But in light of this thread, here's some A/R info about the mighty herc:

EC-130 and MC-130

a. General Information
(1) The C-130 has a UARRSI receptacle located 12 feet AFT of the nose and 5.5 feet behind centre
window on fuselage centreline.
(2) Distance lead-in stripes are located in front of the receptacle at 1-foot intervals.
(3) Approximately 17 inches forward of the receptacle is a set of lights offset on both sides to
illuminate the area around the receptacle.
(4) There is additional lighting in the slipway area.
b. Rendezvous Procedures
(1) En-Route Overtaking Rendezvous
(a) An overtaking enroute rendezvous will be normally used for all C-130 operations.
(b) When executing an overtaking rendezvous with more than one tanker, delay adjusting
airspeed, lowering the flaps, or manoeuvering to AAR formation until all aircraft are
established on the AAR heading.

(k) The receiver will proceed down track from the RVIP/RV at 215 KIAS, and the tanker
will overtake the receiver at 275 KIAS.
(l) Once visual/radar contact is established with the receiver, the tanker will maneuver to
pass overhead the receiver.
(m) The pilot not flying will call when the tanker passes overhead the receiver.
(n) After the receiver passes under the tanker glare shield (1/2 NM on TCAS/1/3 NM on
radar for KC-10), the tanker will maintain 275 KIAS for another 30 seconds (15
seconds for KC-10), then reduce power to idle and begin slowing to 200 KIAS (190
KIAS for AC130H).

(o) (KC-135) Flaps
(i) Weight 210K lbs or Less AAR may be accomplished with either
flaps up or flaps 20 degrees at gross weights up to 210,000 lbs.
(ii) Weight Greater than 210K lbs At gross weights above 210,000 Ibs,
AAR must be accomplished with flaps 20 degrees.
(iii) Extending Flaps If AAR is to be accomplished with flaps 20 degrees,
then extend the flaps when passing through 220 KIAS.
(iv) Pitch Change Be prepared for a pitch change and continue to slow to
200 KIAS for AAR.
(v) Autopilot Axis Altitude Hold With airspeed stabilised at 200 KIAS,
the autopilot elevator axis altitude hold may be engaged if desired.

 (ALL) Due to engine spool-up time and rapid airplane deceleration when flaps are lowered to 20
degrees, pilots must be prepared to advance throttles simultaneously with extension of flaps.
(p) Failure to make R/T Contact If radio communications between airplanes have not
been established by the rendezvous control time, airplanes will depart the RVIP/RV to
make good the ARCT at the RVCP.
(q) Delaying at RVCP Use normal orbit procedures when delaying at the RVCP.
(r) Formation Procedures Once join-up has been accomplished, normal formation
procedures apply.
(s) Overrun If the tanker has overrun the receiver during the final phase of the
rendezvous, the following procedures are recommended:
(i) The tanker will reduce airspeed to 200 KIAS (0.6 AOA minimum) with
flaps set for AAR and maintain track at the assigned AAR altitude.
(ii) The receiver will adjust airspeed, maintain an altitude 1000 feet below
assigned base AAR altitude, adjust track as required, and close on the tanker.
(2) Overtaking RV Delta (Point Parallel Rendezvous)
(a) The overtaking RV Delta (point parallel rendezvous) uses normal RV Delta procedures
except the tanker plans to roll out behind the receiver.
(b) The tanker than overtakes the receiver using the speed schedule and procedures outlined
in the Enroute Overtaking Rendezvous.
(c) For formation operations, the tanker will adjust to AAR formation (stacked up 500 feet, 1
NM nose-to-nose, 60 degrees echelon) after completing the turn to the AAR heading.
(3) Overtaking Modified Point Parallel Rendezvous
(a) The modeled point parallel rendezvous with C-130 receivers is standard with the
exception that the tanker will utilise overtaking procedures.

d. AAR Procedures
(1) (ALL) AAR Procedures
 (ALL) Boom nozzle position shall be monitored closely prior to contact and following
disconnect as receptacle to propeller line distance is only 15.5 feet.
NOTE
 (ALL) The MC-130H Combat Talon II (CTII) has an elongated tear shaped antenna located
approximately 5 feet in front of the receptacle, protruding out from the front of the receptacle and
aircraft.
 (ALL) EC-130J aircraft AAR envelope is 190 to 230 KIAS at 0 to 20,000 feet MSL. Optimum
is 210 KIAS/10,000 feet MSL.
 (ALL) On EC-130J aircraft, fuel may be seen swirling within the UARRSI pressure box during
AAR.
 (ALL) Bank angle during AAR with C-130 receivers will be limited to 15 degrees
(2) (KC-10) AAR Procedures
 (KC-10) Do not raise or lower slats/flaps while the receiver is closer than the astern position
because of the resultant pitch change of the tanker.
(3) (KC-135) AAR Procedures
(a) For formation operations, aircraft will be stacked up at 500 foot intervals from the leader
with 1 NM nose-to-nose separation along the 60-degree echelon line.
(b) Consider establishing the fuel configuration prior to slowing to AAR airspeed; draining
fuel from the centre wing to the forward body tank with certain fuel loads may be slower
than normal.
(c) Power control is critical at the relatively low airspeeds required by the receiver.
(d) Airspeed must be monitored closely as the airplane response to power adjustments for
lost airspeed is slower than normal, especially at gross weights approaching 250,000
pounds.
(e) Boom operators must be aware of changes in boom flight characteristics during AAR
with the C-130 at slower airspeed in combination with tanker flap setting of 20 degrees.

(f) Control of the boom becomes heavier and the boom tends to trail at 35 to 37 degrees
when flaps are lowered to 20 degrees.
(g) When the receiver stabilises in the astern position, the boom operator will hold required
up pressure on the ruddervator control stick to maintain a 30-degrees trail position.
(h) Increased force is required to fly the boom to effect contact and to maintain boom-toreceptacle
alignment.
(i) To minimise nozzle cocking when making contact below 33 degrees elevation, the boom
must be inserted straight into the receptacle without aid of the slipway; using the slipway
may cause nozzle to cock, preventing contact.
(k) This procedure will also avoid directing the boom nozzle light into the eyes of the
receiver pilot.
 (KC-135) Do not raise or lower flaps while the receiver is closer than the astern position because
of the resultant pitch change of the tanker
 (KC-135) During an actual/practice emergency separation, do not raise or lower the flaps until
the receiver is well clear.
 (KC-135) If in a turn when a breakaway is initiated, maintain the established bank angle while
adding power. Do not roll wings level and do not raise or lower flaps until the receiver is well
clear.
 (KC-135) The maximum tanker gross weight beginning AAR operation with C-130 receivers
will not be greater than 250,000 pounds.
 (KC-135) During AAR, do not to allow the airspeed to decrease below 190 KIAS or 0.6 AOA,
whichever is higher, because of decreased boom control at lower airspeeds.
 (KC-135) During AAR with the flaps extended, exercise extreme caution to ensure that the flap
placard speed is not exceeded.

It's alot I know, but worth the read to see how slow we have to fly!

Here's a quick clip of Hurricane Hunting.






And another slightly lengthy one to answer the trivia question "What was the only four-engine aircraft flight demo team?"


And since we mentioned demo teams, here's Fat Albert with a JATO takeoff.

Awww I've always liked the Hercules, there's something very... familiar about them. There's always at least one at airshows and I get them flying over my house all the time, they're like a staple in aerospace, I think that's what makes them so cool

On the other hand and completely off topic, this gives me a wonderful idea for a calendar with dates of first flights on it. I always like reading the little bits of information, but I'd rather read about planes than when George IV was born

Happy birthday Hercules! Loved this plane from the moment I first saw it. Love everythin to do with it even down the the drone of the engines. Damn them rocket assisted take offs must be one hell of a ride

I envy anyone who gets to work with them or has had the chance to work on them. My favourite has got the be the AC 130 .. I'd pay thousand to be near one or on one when those guns are blazing

Love the Spectre. Marines must too because they're getting kits to hang Hellfires on KC-130J's. They're taking a sensor turret almost straight off the AH-1's and mounting them on the wing tanks.

reply to post by _Del_


As if the spectre wasn't armed enough! That's brilliant and there I thought they were phasing out the spectre it must be quite some asset for troops on the ground