Posted on 05/23/2019 1:43:39 PM PDT by Red Badger
PENSACOLA , Fla. (WEAR-TV) The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are bidding farewell to their C-130T aircraft.
The Blue Angels announced on Wednesday the aircraft known as Fat Albert is officially retiring.
The Navy says Fat Albert has served the Blue Angels for 17-years and flown more than 30,000 hours in support of their missions.
According to the U.S. Navy the current airframe, BUNO 164763, has been with the team since 2002 and was the last C-130 to conduct a jet-assisted take-off (JATO).
The Navy says their team will be transported via Fleet-provided logistics until a permanent replacement aircraft is identified.
Officials told Channel 3 News Fat Albert "will enjoy her retirement as a ground-based training aid in Fort Worth, Texas."
You can share your photos of Fat Albert here.
“”JATO ? Id like to see a couple units strapped to Nanny Pelosi and send her on her inaugural flight without her broomstick for old times sake too.. one last time.””
What an idea!!! Gosh - all we can do is dream!!
Ping
thanks
My only C-130 ride was from NAS Alameda to MCAS Kaneohe. Loud and slow.
Salute to magnificent aircraft. May she find a museum home.
We’ve had the whole fleet over our house this week except for the Warhawk and I haven’t seen the B-17 yet.
Sorry to hear that! My son and I saw Fat Albert doing some great aerobatics over SF Bay years ago during the Fleet Week Blue Angels show. I think SF is the best venue in the world to watch the show. Most of it is out over the bay, but they peel off and fly right over you at Crissy Field. OK, the Marina Green. OK, OK, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. I still like Crissy Field.
I haven’t seen any of the 4 engine craft yet or their escort.. just the two engine chugger.. I wish I could afford a ride. a little steep But glad to see those birds still flying..
I checked the prices again. Yikes. No ride for me, either.
You are most welcome - video is pretty good!
Real thing is stupendous!
Vietnam to Tokyo and back, then all up and down the Vietnam coast. C-130: Great airplane.
I agree with you that they are rockets, but JATO is the term that was used back in the day and is the common term that the Blue Angels used to describe Fat Albert’s spectacular takeoff.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JATO: JATO (acronym for jet-assisted take-off), is a type of assisted take-off for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets. The term JATO is used interchangeably with the (more specific) term RATO, for rocket-assisted take-off (or, in RAF parlance, RATOG, for rocket-assisted take-off gear).
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