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The C-130 Hercules is the perfect airlifter


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Hush,

Thanks. Great article  But unlike Kelly Johnson my first thought when dropped off in front of the C-130 (an "E" model, 63-7872 at McGuire AFB) for the first time was "It looks like a mole with wings". I had just come from Chanute AFB after training on B-52's and told the line supervisor that there must be some mistake. I trained on jet engines, not props!!  Turned out to be the best "mistake" of my AF career.

 

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Having little exposure to aviation prior to joining the Air Force, I was pissed when I learned that I was going to be on C-130s.  Like most young men I wanted to work on the fast jets.  It didn't take me long to realize that I had lucked-out and to develop a great respect and dare I say, love for the 130!

"Real Planes Have props!"

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Pretty much in the same boat as everyone above.

Went to B-47E tech. school at Amarillo AFB and then five years in the B-47 wing at Mtn. Home.  

Reassigned to a classified C-30A II sqd. at Rhein-Main AB.  At the time had never seen a Herc., and didn't even know such an acft. existed.  

On first sight I exclaimed, what the heck is that doodad on the front of the engines.  No swept wings...very disappointed. 

From that day in June 1962 until mid 1978 I was attached to the C-130 in one way or another. 

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1962 basic, then Jet over two engines (B-47) at Amarillo then straight to the C-130 school house at Sewart AFB TN. After 30 years on the old gal and almost 3 years building H models at Lockheed I still get a thrill when I see one fly by or when I pat Ghost Rider on the nose at the Marietta Museum. Also she put a lot of beans on my table. Bill:D

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Flew a ton of hours on the bird. Never worked on anything else. Straight out of basic at Amarillo to Shepard for tech school. Then on to Naha on A models and CRB. Then to Pope E models. Lots of flight miles. Also makes me look up when I hear one. 45 years later!

C-130 Gunship.jpg

C-130 Skibird.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I'm sure glad I decided to read this article about our Herk. When I got out of basic, I was scheduled to go to Lowry for Weapons and Munitions training. Then of course the Air Force decided to change my career field. To what---nobody knew. I got orders to go to Shepherd, went to PAT  School for awhile, did KP twice, then finally got orders to start school as a 43151F ---!

Nobody in the squadron knew what that was. Finally through research, a friend and I discovered that we were going to school to learn about a C-130. We drove around until until we found the building that we were starting school in. We  laughed at that big snub nosed silver airplane looking and decided it must be a C-130. A few months later, I was working on them at Naha (A Models), and for the next thirty three months I lived on them and E models at CCK. It was the best experience of my life!

I will never forget the times and friends And experiences I had on the Herk.  

I would have re-enlisted if the C-133 wouldn't have soured my good relationship with the Air Force. Also, since I had never had stateside duty, and had no guarantees of working on the Hercules again, and also having been promoted to Ssgt. I figured it was too risky.

Sorry about the long post,

Ken

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On 1/30/2018 at 6:46 AM, Sonny said:

Hush,

Thanks. Great article  But unlike Kelly Johnson my first thought when dropped off in front of the C-130 (an "E" model, 63-7872 at McGuire AFB) for the first time was "It looks like a mole with wings". I had just come from Chanute AFB after training on B-52's and told the line supervisor that there must be some mistake. I trained on jet engines, not props!!  Turned out to be the best "mistake" of my AF career.

 

Sonny, after Chanute Aircraft Electricians school I went straight to Naha, took a bus from Kadena to Naha was put in FMS barracks "the hill" looked down on flight line and gasped what in the world is this the A model Herc. I worked a few other frames most notable the F-4 at Ubon 71-72, but spent the rest of my career as an ART on E model 130s 63 models to be exact. I spent the last 4 years of my career at Pope as Avionics Branch Chief the 440th on 87-88 models from Milwaukee . Yes the Herc is was and always will be a great aircraft . Anytime, Anywhere, you call we haul!

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