[SandRat]

Captain David M. Naeher, a pilot with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252, mans the flight controls, Dec. 30, during an aerial refueling mission in northwest Iraq. Naeher served as the aircraft commander for the mission, making final decisions when the flight plan changed. Photo by: Cpl. James D. Hamel

Click and scroll to bottom for more photos.

[SandRat]

C-130's in Iraq

[anymouse]

Hercules to the rescue! :)

[ops33]

What a great airplane! I was an air traffic controller in the AF and without a doubt my favorite aircraft to work was a C-130. Could do anything you ask it do and was a dream to work in the pattern. It could mix well with slow movers and fast movers and could stop on a dime and exit the runway faster than any other aircraft. I'm 53 and enlisted in 1971 and I believe that when I go to my heavenly reward the military will still be flying the 130!

[RAY]

Received this humorous account recently via email:

"A C-130 was en route on a mission when a cocky F-16 pilot flew up next to him.

The fighter jock told the C-130 pilot, "watch this!" He went into a Barrel roll, followed by a steep climb, then finished with a sonic boom when he reached the speed of sound.

The F-16 pilot asked the C-130 pilot what he thought.

The C-130 pilot responded "that was impressive, but watch this."

The C-130 droned along for about 15 minutes then the 130 pilot came back

On and said "What did you think about that?"

The 16 pilot asked, "what did you do?"

The C-130 pilot responded "I got up, stretched my legs, went to the back, poured a cup of coffee and took a leak."

Any questions??"

[Calpernia]

“Whenever more than one Marine is gathered in a room, one of them is a leader,” said Maj. Glenn Vogel, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., and the executive officer for the VMGR-252 detachment in Iraq. “We’re all taught from the beginning that all Marines are leaders, regardless of their job is.”

But, the pilots in VMGR-252 aren’t dictatorial, said Sgt. Doug Rumick, a crew chief and Aurora, Ill., native. The pilots are the head of a crew which includes loadmasters and crew chiefs, each with their own area of expertise. They view their crew as assets in their quest to make sound decisions.