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Black Noses on C-130E Models


Phantom 4
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Hallo,

i am a new member here in this forum.i live in the area of Ramstein AB.

My question is :

A lot of herkys there have grey noses an some black noses.And others receive black noses(former grey).Why have these Herkys different Colors (Noses).

Hope someone can give me answers.

Sorry for my not so good english.

Phantom4

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As I understand it, Radomes (noses) come from the manufacturer black. They are usually painted grey as soon as possible, but sometimes the mission is more important than a trip to the paint barn. Any aircraft that you see that have a back nose have had a radome change recently. Sometimes they fly with the black for a long time, waiting for a phase inspection to paint it grey. I personally like the black nose.

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When C-130s were being painted "European 1", many Hercs were getting a "fog coat" of the skin paint color. Later they changed to gray, and many Hercs still got a "fog coat" of the skin paint color.

The original black comes from a concentration of graphite mixed in with the paint to provide an anti-static coating. It is required that nose radomes have an anti-static coating. The "fog coating" might not be so bad if it could be controlled, but the color coating can begin to wear in spots, and all good crew chiefs have a tendency to do touch-ups to keep their airplanes looking good.

There are some radars that are sensitive to paint thickness. If there are inconsistencies in the thickness of the paint within the radar beam, there can be radar inaccuracies.

All airplanes equipped with radars or other sensors under the radome that are required to provide accurate radio frequency signals should not have the extra color coatings applied.

'Nuff said....

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All I'm going to say is that the black coating is a urethane rain erosion coating.

Well, not always...in fact, some airplanes have an anti-static black epoxy coating on the nose radome.

John

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Well, not always...in fact, some airplanes have an anti-static black epoxy coating on the nose radome.

John

Sorry, my bad.

1C-130A-23-

Any anti-static and rain-erosion coating on radomes and antennas shall be performed per TO 1-1-24. MIL-C-83231, Type II, Class A or B coating shall be used.

Mil-C-83231A, superseded by SAE-AMS-C-83231;

Class B, Polyurethane prepolymers which are dependent on moisture of high relative humidity for curing.

Type I- Rain erosion resistant coating.

Type II- Antistatic rain erosion reslstant coatIng.

The class B, type II coating kit shall consist of all the components

required for the class B, type I kit plus the antistatic polyurethane

vehicle and the catalyst when applicable.

Edited by tinyclark
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A few decades back, studies were done on the STAR (Surface-To-Air-Recovery), also known as Fulton Recovery systems. One of the problem areas was how the poly types of radome coatings would peel and burn away under the friction of the liftline as it was sliding across the radome surface during an intercept. When a radome anti-static poly finish gets partially peeled, the corrective action is to strip the entire radome and recoat.

Resulting from those studies, the MC-130E noses (both the Skyhook and the Standard nose, for commonality) were specified to be coated with the Anti-static black epoxy. The epoxy coating met (still meets) the requirements for rain errosion, transmissivity, surface resistance, and more importantly, radar requirements; and was much more durable for the STAR pickups.

No more STAR, no more requirement; but the cost to change drawings, processs specifications, and test documents is significant enough to make it more feasible to leave it as it is.....

"IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT"

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Yea, and I'm sure it's in writing somewhere, in someone's desk, but he died 20 years ago.

Good idea to use epoxy, but back then, they may not have had the two part poly type they use today.

But, I don't think our German friend was talking about Talons. They keep getting old E's in to replace the AWADS birds at Ramstein, and they are coming in with both color radomes. The gray radomes have a mist coat over the poly coating is all.

Wiedersehen, Phantom. Bitte Ein Bit!!

And if it ain't broke, keep fixin' it 'til it is broke.

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Phantom,

I was at Ramstein for 6 years, 2001-2007, Rhein Main for 4 years, 1977-1981, and Spangdahlem for 4 years, 1969-1973.

I Love Germany, but I don't think I will ever fly that far on an airplane again.

Prost!!

Tiny,

If you check my bio, you'll see that we were at R/M at the same time. Did you ever get out to the American Legion in Waldorf? I practically lived there & at the Rod & Gun Club -- when I wasn't TDY somewhere.

Check out this photo at Airliners.net & you'll see that there's not much left of the old air base. http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/1312000/L/ The only thing still recognizable is the hotel! Very sad.

Bis Spater,

Don R.

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Tiny,

If you check my bio, you'll see that we were at R/M at the same time. Did you ever get out to the American Legion in Waldorf? I practically lived there & at the Rod & Gun Club -- when I wasn't TDY somewhere.

Bis Spater,

Don R.

Just updated my bio as well.

Never went out to the Legion, but went to the R&G Club quite a few times. Couldn't beat the $2.95 for a dozen escargot and the cheap beer. There was a guy there that used to perform Cat Stevens' songs, he was pretty good, or maybe that was the beer.

Edited by tinyclark
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  • 14 years later...

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The original material used on C-130E aircraft nose radomes was an elastomeric two-part (base coat and catalyzing agent) chemically cured rubberized spray or brush-on rain erosion coating system . This type of coating system provided superior surface erosion protection from organic and precipitate impingement for the nose and "top hat" radomes on the E-models I worked on back in the mid 70's at Pope AFB, NC; where I was an Aircraft Structural Repair Technician. We had 55 C-130E models assigned at the time. 

 

 

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