casey Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Workers, volunteers working to get C-130 flying again after 14 years on the ground at Sequoia Field Over the three years that he has worked at the Bob Wiley Detention Facility north of Visalia, Stephen Fagundes frequently has noticed the C-130A (USAF 56-0473, TBM N473TM, Lockheed c/n 3081) Hercules airplane parked on the tarmac at neighboring Sequoia Field Airport. In that time, Fagundes said he hasn't seen the plane move, except for once a couple of months ago when it was turned so its nose faced the northeast. The truth is that the 40-ton airplane, one of the first to come off Lockheed Martin Corps' Georgia assembly line in 1957, hasn't flown in more than 13 years, and the cracked, faded paint and partially deflated tires are testaments to the wear that time and the elements have foisted upon it. But Thursday morning, things had changed, as Fagundes and some co-workers arrived at the rural airport to store items in a vacant hanger, and they noticed the doors of the C-130 were open and people were working on it. So Fagundes and his small crew stopped by and talked to Bryant Grantham, an airplane mechanic and flight engineer from Arizona, who along with flight mechanic Aaron Ashworth are part of a team preparing the Hercules for one last flight. The two paid aircraft mechanics are joined by at least six former military mechanics volunteering to get the Hercules flying again for a half-hour flight to Castle Airport in Atwater. Read the full article and view more images at: http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2015/06/12/visalia-crew-getting-hercules-fly/71134428/ Image: C-130Hercules.net Production Number Gallery View full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC10FE Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Interesting. When I went to the Google Earth street view, it looks like there are 3 A-models parked there. Don R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdaley Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 DonLooks like the third one is Fritz's N466TM, visiting from Castle.But I think you are looking at Visalia Muni.The one they are restoring is 56-0473 and that is at Visalia Sequia Airport Northeast of the MuniBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwatt Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 BobYou are correct this picture is at Visalia Muni. The two acft on right were there this morning when I went by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC10FE Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Thanks, guys. I guess it's back to Google Earth. Well, the rest of my morning is shot. Google Earth is extremely addictive.Don R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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