An amphibious version was considered...
Posted on 08/19/2014 12:27:38 PM PDT by DFG
Keep them coming, folks.
This GenXer (Desert Storm) loves hearing you oldtimer’s stories.
Unbelievable!
I was a maintenance officer on the c-130E aircraft during the late great Southeast war games. We flew over 5 hours/day for each assigned aircraft. More hours per assigned birds than any other.
One addition...the Grumman A-6 and EA-6B. All weather attack that could land on a pitching carrier deck with little or no visibility. Uglier than sin but could fly thru anything...affectionately known as the ‘Queer’ to Squids and the ‘Sky Pig’ to us Jarheads. The Navy replaced the A-6 with the FA-18, but to my knowledge has yet to replace my electronic warfare bird (EA-6B). VMAQ-02 Det Zebra ‘85-’88, ‘Can Do Easy’, Semper Fi, Mac.
An amphibious version was considered...
neighbor’s kid is learning to fly the 130.
they still start with the T-6 Texan!
1987. I was riding on a Coast Guard 130. It had a “Comfort Pallet” installed, basically an aluminum square that can be locked into the cargo rails of the Herc, that was equipped with regular airline type seats, only these faced backwards.
The pallet was right behind the cockpit and behind us was a duce and a half that was chained down so tight, its suspension was compressed.
We flew into a short dirt strip, less than 4000’ long. The pilot tells us we were going to do an “assault landing”. This is when the pilot comes in steep, hits the approach end of the strip as close to the start of it as possible and then stands on the brakes while reversing the props to make the shortest possible landing roll.
I thought it was the coolest thing in the world until I noticed the slack in the chains holding the duce. While the rear chains were stretched tight and doing their job, the front chains were just there for the ride, with about a foot and a half of sag in them.
I remember thinking, “If those rear chains give out, that duce is gonna exit via the plane’s nose, and we’re just gonna be a gooey smear.”
After that ride, I always made it a point to ride next to or behind the cargo when landing.
Flew from NAS Alameda to MCAS Kaneohe on one. Fast forward 30 years, my daughter maintains C-130s for the USAF.
That C130 is on display...
THE C-130 ON DISPLAY AT THE FRONT GATE OF LITTLE ROCK AFB, ARKANSAS
This C-130A Hercules was the 126th built by Lockheed Aircraft corp. of Marietta, Georgia. It was accepted into the Air Force inventory on 23 August 1957.
On 2 November 1972, it was given to the South Vietnamese Air Force as part of the Military Assistance Program. A few years later, the aircraft would be involved in a historic flight.
On 29 April 1975, this Herk was the last out of Vietnam during the fall of Saigon. With over 100 aircraft destroyed on the flight line at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, some of them still burning, it was the last flyable C-130 remaining. In a very panicked state, hundreds of people were rushing to get aboard, as the aircraft represented a final ticket to freedom.
People hurriedly crowded into the Herk, packing in tighter and tighter. Eventually, the loadmaster informed the pilot, Major Phuong, a South Vietnamese instructor pilot, that he could not get the rear ramp closed due to the number of people standing on it. In a moment of inspiration, Major Phuong slowly taxied forward, then hit the brakes. The loadmaster called forward again stating he had successfully got the doors closed.
In all, 452 people were on board, including a staggering 32 in the cockpit alone. Using a conservative estimate of 100 pounds per person, it translated into an overload of at least 10,000 pounds. Consequently, the Herk used every bit of the runway and overrun before it was able to get airborne.
The target was Thailand, which should have been 1:20 in flight time, but after an hour and a half, the aircraft was over the Gulf of Slam, and they were clearly lost. Finally, a map was located, they identified some terrain features, and they were able to navigate. They landed at Utapao, Thailand after a three and a half hour flight.
Ground personnel were shocked at what “fell out” as they opened the doors. It was clear that a longer flight would almost certainly have resulted in a loss of life. In the end, however, all 452 people made it to freedom aboard this historic C-130.
Upon landing, the aircraft was reclaimed by the United States Air Force and assigned to two different Air National Guard units for the next 14 years.
On 28 June 1989, it made its final flight to Little Rock Air Force Base and placed on permanent display.
On the first of my two jumps from a C-141, I had to wait until the third pass. As I'm looking through the open door, all I can think of is, "what the bleep am I doing here?" lol
I think that is an MC-130.
I saw a similar demo. My nipples got hard.
I have no idea what it is technically called but it is a Spectre gun ship.
Here is one from your time that is my favrorite one. She did most of the damage on the Highway of Death:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhCRSs1tWo8
39 years out for me...Still hum that Jody once in awhile...My grandsons think I’m nuts...
One “Airborne Daddy” to another...
Airborne!
You are correct it is not a MC-130. I posted from your first picture with the guns on the other side. All Spectre’s have been retired(1995) so it it most likely a Spooky.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AC-130
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