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After 60 years, C-130 still a 'magnificent machine'
Fox News ^ | 8/19/2014 | Jonathan Serrie

Posted on 08/19/2014 12:27:38 PM PDT by DFG

Tim Nguyen regards the C-130 “Hercules” as a “good friend.” The 60-year-old military aircraft has been the focus of his professional career, and quite possibly saved his life.

During the 1975 Fall of Saigon, Nguyen -- then serving in the South Vietnamese air force -- escaped on the last C-130 out of Vietnam. During a lull in enemy fire, he emerged from a bunker at Tan Son Nhut Air Base to see the last flyable C-130 stopping and going on the taxiway.

The aircraft’s rear ramp was still open, apparently weighed down by the crowd of people standing on it.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aerospace; c130; hercules; lockheed; nguyen
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To: All

Keep them coming, folks.

This GenXer (Desert Storm) loves hearing you oldtimer’s stories.


21 posted on 08/19/2014 1:29:31 PM PDT by envisio (Its on like Donkey Kong!)
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To: DFG
It is the largest and heaviest plane to land on an aircraft carrier, and did so without a tail hook.

Unbelievable!

22 posted on 08/19/2014 1:38:58 PM PDT by Focault's Pendulum (I live in NJ....' Nuff said!)
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To: envisio

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.


23 posted on 08/19/2014 1:41:51 PM PDT by Eaglefixer
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To: freedumb2003

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.


24 posted on 08/19/2014 1:43:40 PM PDT by major_gaff (University of Parris Island, Class of '84)
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To: SES1066
About the only thing I have never seen on a Hercules are pontoons for water landings.


An amphibious version was considered...


25 posted on 08/19/2014 1:46:45 PM PDT by az_gila
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To: freedumb2003

neighbor’s kid is learning to fly the 130.

they still start with the T-6 Texan!


26 posted on 08/19/2014 2:27:36 PM PDT by TurboZamboni (Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.-JFK)
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To: SES1066
About the only thing I have never seen on a Hercules are pontoons for water landings

When I was an intern at Lockheed I saw several computer models of this and pictures of a mockup in a wave tank. Yeah, they designed them.
27 posted on 08/19/2014 2:32:06 PM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: DFG

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.


28 posted on 08/19/2014 2:36:03 PM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: DFG

Flew from NAS Alameda to MCAS Kaneohe on one. Fast forward 30 years, my daughter maintains C-130s for the USAF.


29 posted on 08/19/2014 2:39:29 PM PDT by csvset
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To: DFG

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.


30 posted on 08/19/2014 2:40:06 PM PDT by madrastex
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To: TurboZamboni
Same name and designation, but different airplanes. Bottom: T-6 Texan. Top: T-6 Texan II


31 posted on 08/19/2014 2:41:28 PM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: envisio
This will date myself, but my first jump at Jump School was from a C-123. I was happy for that, as everybody jumped out on the first pass.

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

32 posted on 08/19/2014 2:42:30 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Mississippi!)
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To: yarddog

I think that is an MC-130.


33 posted on 08/19/2014 2:47:29 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: DFG

Big brass balls and a C-130:

http://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/c130_forrestal.asp


34 posted on 08/19/2014 2:50:32 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: RinaseaofDs

I saw a similar demo. My nipples got hard.


35 posted on 08/19/2014 2:52:21 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: Eaglefixer
At he end of the SEA war games I flew on a C-130 from Pearl on the milk run to Anderson. During the trip there was some glitch and all the nav equipment went offline. I heard the navigator tell the pilot that he wasn't sure where we were. The pilot opened his window and took a sniff of the air and said “We are 76 miles from Subic Bay, due West”. Damn if he wasn't right.
36 posted on 08/19/2014 2:56:54 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: mad_as_he$$

I have no idea what it is technically called but it is a Spectre gun ship.


37 posted on 08/19/2014 2:57:17 PM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: envisio

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


38 posted on 08/19/2014 3:00:32 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: Night Hides Not

39 years out for me...Still hum that Jody once in awhile...My grandsons think I’m nuts...

One “Airborne Daddy” to another...

Airborne!


39 posted on 08/19/2014 3:04:43 PM PDT by elteemike (Light travels faster than sound...That's why so many people appear bright until you hear them speak!)
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To: yarddog

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


40 posted on 08/19/2014 3:05:04 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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