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Feats of Hercules

At Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the dramatic highlight of the 15-day joint United States Army-Air Force winter training maneuvers was another impressive “Feat of Hercules: 25 Lockheed prop-jet C-130 HERCULES transports paradropped 1,000 combat-ready infantrymen and battle equipment – in less than 10 minutes.

Powered by four General Motors Allison Prop-jet Engines, the mighty C-130 HERCULES holds the world’s record for the heaviest load ever parachute-extracted from a plane: 30,370 pounds. At the touch of a push-button, paradrop cargo glides out the huge 2,75 x 3 m aft cargo door of the HERCULES – and floats down to land with bull’s-eye accuracy at the spots where it is needed.

At 61300kg gross weight the HERCULES can take off over a 15 m obstacle in 1300m. Airborne, it climbs 12,5 m/sek, attains 9000 m altitudes, and cruises at 565 km/h. Landing at 45360 kg gross weight, the C-130 HERCULES can stop (with propellers fully reversed) in only 430 m of runway. This go-anywhere, haul-anything propjet giant is now in service or scheduled for delivery to: the USAF’s Tactical Air Command, USAF-Europe, Pacific Air Command, Air Photo and Charting Service, other U.S. Armed Forces branches, and the Royal Australian Air Force.

Lockheed Aircraft Corporation GEORGIA DIVISION Marietta, Georgia, U.S.A.

LOCKHEED means leadership

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