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Info Needed 56-0512


118th AES Retired
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Still working on my "history project"

Boy, I'm really having a hard time finding any information on this one. Here's what I have so far:

Not much information is available on 56-0512 and not many photos were found of this aircraft.

The aircraft was assigned to the 118th and was listed as a “former†aircraft of the 118th in the 1986 publication From Blackwood Field to Berry Field 1921-1986.

This aircraft arrived at AMARC on 20 May 1976, and was assigned the AMARC control # CF007. The AMARC database shows that this aircraft had previously been assigned to the 166th Tactical Airlift Group in Greater Wilmington.

J. Baugher’s account of this aircraft is as follows: 512 (c/n 182-3120) to MASDC as CF0007 May 20, 1976. Converted to ground trainer as GC-130. Seen at Paul Garber facility of NASM.

It is possible that 56-0512 may have been involved as a part of the “Blind Bat†program as I did find one post listing this tail number as one having been involved in the program.

If anyone can provide any info on 56-0512 along with the others I've posted as needing informaiton on, I certainly would appreciate it! Thanks to all who have helped and who have contributed information!

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In August of 66 this plane was at Naha. I was working it on swing shift when we were transfurred from 51st OMS to the 21st TCS.

I don't remember if it was a Bat Plane. I got out in Nov. 66.

Been 43 years and 4 days since I got out.

Special Order A-1521 18 Aug 1966.

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Here is the information that I have been able to collect on 56-0512 as of 22 November 2009. Thanks to all who have contributed to my history project thus far!

Not much information is available on 56-0512 and not many photos were found of this aircraft.

The aircraft was assigned to the 118th and was listed as a “former†aircraft of the 118th in the 1986 publication From Blackwood Field to Berry Field 1921-1986.

This aircraft arrived at AMARC on 20 May 1976, and was assigned the AMARC control # CF007. The AMARC database shows that this aircraft had previously been assigned to the 166th Tactical Airlift Group in Greater Wilmington.

J. Baugher’s account of this aircraft is as follows: 512 (c/n 182-3120) to MASDC as CF0007 May 20, 1976. Converted to ground trainer as GC-130. Seen at Paul Garber facility of NASM.

It is possible that 56-0512 may have been involved as a part of the “Blind Bat†program as I did find one post listing this tail number as one having been involved in the program.

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  • 8 years later...

Here's a photo of a C-130 with tail number 512 at Phu Bai, Vietnam.  I took this photo around Mar or April, 1969.  I believe it was in Cargo/Transport Duty.  This was the area at Phu Bai - Hue Airport where they would load passengers and cargo onto aircraft.  I was a courier and flew many times in March - July, 1969 between Bien Hoa and Phu Bai on missions for 101st Airborne between our Rear and Forward HQ. I do not recall if I ever flew on this particular aircraft, but I always flew on C-130's on that route.  Very common aircraft in Nam.

087 C-130 at Hue Phu-Bai Airport (B MY69Z2 22) Tail No YU 512.jpg

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The tail code YU makes her an 817th TAS aircraft which is where she was assigned in '67-'68 when I was at Naha. The white bottom shows she was not a Blind Bat aircraft at that time although prior to the planes being painted cammo any of them could be used for the flare mission.

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

If it was a Naha bird, and it obviously was, it was most likely on the flare mission at some time or other. Prior to 1968 when they put some special equipment on Blind Bat airplanes, any airplane on the flight line could be used on the mission. I don't know what tail numbers did what. Tail numbers were how we found the airplanes on the flight line. 

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7 hours ago, SamMcGowan said:

If it was a Naha bird, and it obviously was, it was most likely on the flare mission at some time or other. Prior to 1968 when they put some special equipment on Blind Bat airplanes, any airplane on the flight line could be used on the mission. I don't know what tail numbers did what. Tail numbers were how we found the airplanes on the flight line. 

Sam,

When I got to Naha in May 1967 each squadron had two aircraft specifically designated for the Blind Bat flare mission. They were the only ones with black bottoms. I understand that prior to having these aircraft painted black that any aircraft could be used. They started putting in the ECM package in 1968. 56-0533 went to Tachi in March to have it done.

Sonny

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On 3/7/2018 at 5:36 PM, Dutch said:

5aa068885332e_C-130AProductionListPage11.thumb.jpg.6ff52582fb32c54e3b824321ba8ad6c5.jpg

I notified Lars several times that in 1967-68 that 56-0512 was assigned to the 817th and not the 21st as shown in his book. Here is a copy of the aircraft assigned to the 21st TCS/TAS during that timeframe.

IMG_0008.JPG

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2 hours ago, Sonny said:

Sam,

When I got to Naha in May 1967 each squadron had two aircraft specifically designated for the Blind Bat flare mission. They were the only ones with black bottoms. I understand that prior to having these aircraft painted black that any aircraft could be used. They started putting in the ECM package in 1968. 56-0533 went to Tachi in March to have it done.

Sonny

Sonny, by the time you got to Naha, the flare mission had been going on for more than three years. I took this photo in the spring of 1966, I can't say for certain since it might be shadow, but some of those airplanes appear to have black bellies. The paint on the airplanes was different, depending on where they had been painted. Some were painted in the States when they went on IRAN and some were painted at Gifu, Japan. I left Naha in July-early August 1967. 

BBBirds.jpg

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