Spectre623

Thanks Casey. Great parade yesterday and luncheon afterwards ...all free. Bill

Ken...I don't feel like I'm 40. Bill Thanks Sonny...It was. Bill

AF declares first AC-130J a total loss after tumbling 5000 feet inverted during flight tests. $115.6 million loss. Sad. Bill (Note_ Metalbasher and I posted this at the same time. He has the full report on another thread. http://www.c-130hercules.net/forums/topic/8166-c-130-news-first-ac-130j-prototype-declared-loss/#comment-34836)

Podboy, the Data Legend markings for the AF C-130's is below the pilots side window even with the top of the kick window. It will be painted on or with a decal and include ; USAF, AF serial number, Fuel grade requirements and where the Identiplate (POL Card) is located, which is inside the SPR panel. Ref T.O 1-1-4 page 3-1 para 3-1e. Bill

Hang in there Ken and get well soon...by the way did they NRTS your old knee joint and turn it in to supply for overhaul? I can feel your pain as old Slick Willie Clinton used to say, since I just finished rotator cuff surgery a few months ago and the therapist from hell worked me over ha ha . I would address him as Mr. Meanie...he thought I was kidding. Was glad when it was over. Bill

Have a good one Sam. Bill

Hey oldcatmechanic2, funny you should say that cause I was an "A" model maintainer and there was something about "B's" I always liked...such as an aux pump and ground test valve and NO danged 450 gal external fuel tanks that were forever giving trouble and a galley with hot coffee containers and oven and best of all a flight deck BUNK! This was my first Herk assignment (1963) and I later got to serve on the Herks with all the other letters the C-130 had next to it...and LOVED every one of them!! Bill

Dang Bob, that's so we can referb them and give them to some 3rd world country that can't maintain them. We don't even get to make beer cans out of them. That's what is sad. Bill

Fer sure Railrunner. Bill

Read in the LM Code One mag where the AF sent 26 Herks to the beer can factory this year. GRRRRR. Here is the count: 11 MC-130H/P, 6 HC-130P, 4 AC-130H, 1 AC-130U, 4 C-130 H. Sad end for these great birds. I hear they are designing the final version of the Herk at the skunk works.... It will have 1 pilot and a DOG as the only crew members. The dog is there to bite the pilot if he touches anything. Bill

Sorry Sonny, I was not aware of your background. I'll give you a pass. Bill

Sonny stop being a suckup...we gotta keep Casey HUMBLE!!! Bill

Why not go with the Ham Stand 8 blade fan? More perk for the Herk! Then we would have it made in the shade...you know, Less flux for the bucks! Ha Ha Bill

The article didn't say anything about how or when. Bill

Saw in the LM Code One mag where the AF has paid $36 mil for the RR 3.5 engine upgrade for all H's. Specs on a P3 have shown a 12% savings on fuel. Good deal! Bill

Nice pics HeHe but the listings you show as Dobbins Air Guard are incorrect. The Dobbins C-130's are H3's. We had 81 and 84 models before they were swapped out for 90's+, H3's a year or two ago. Also Dobbins is a AF Reserve base. Are those tail numbers possibly Savannah Air Guard birds? Bill

Sounds like they are reinventing the wheel but then again the "J" is like a whole different aircraft. Can't wait to see it! Bill

If you mean a tour of the inside of this "thing", the answer is no. Only museum workers are authorized inside these aircraft as per the AF Museum regs., which owns this "thing". Sorry bout that. Bill

From the FE seat on our C-130 in the museum. Belt,Acft. Safety Lap Type MD-2. PN 54H19651-30 NSN 1680-01-225-7452 Harness.Acft. Safety Shoulder Adjustable Type M82A Mil Spec. Mil-H-53640 NSN 1680-00-555-2938 Hope this helps. Bill

The seat color is Sea foam green. I have an old old stock number you may be able to cross ref. to the present number. 8010-584-3154. Bill

The spinners and tips were flat black with the 4 blade props and wheels dark gray when it arrived at Dobbins in 1995. Will check my discs and see if I have any more pics. Bill

This may help a little SteveV22FE. We received Ghost Rider at Dobbins ARB,Ga. on 28 Sep 1995. It was a 2 tone gray with 4 blade props which replaced the 3 blade props in about 1977- 1980. There are 2 pics on this site in the Gallery photos. They are listed as 3010B and C. These are pics on the Dobbins flight line. Pic 3010jpeg shows it at Duke field,Fl with a solid dark gunship gray paint with 4 blade props. Duke Field Fl, 919 SOW, 711 SOS, received Ghost Rider after Vietnam on November 4,1975. So, Duke field had Ghost Rider from 1975 till 1995. They are the only people who could tell you what color it was on the date you worked on it. 3010 is the Lockheed sn. and 54-1623 is the AF tail number. We put the 3 blade props on after it arrived at Dobbins. I will post them for you. The paint was not very new when the plane arrived at Dobbins in 1995 so my guess is it would have been the 2 tone gray when you worked on it in 1993. Hope this helps. Bill

That's funny. You would think the people of Vietnam wouldn't need an introduction to the C-130 as we rescued'em, fed'em, hauled'em' dropped'em, shot'em and bombed'em with old Herk and even gave'em some back in the 60's and 70's. Must have a short memory. Just my thoughts. Bill

Good choice France. lUpdate!!! Bad choice from France not buying C-130's from Lockheed...now they won't have a way back from the boneyard when they junk out the A-400M. So sad...

Thanks guys, it was an honor to be a tiny part of the team here at the museum to bring her to this point. Bill