HighTide Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I'm not good at putting something visual into words, but here goes. Was leaving back gate at LRAFB today and there she was, beautiful as ever. The lady was turning down wind with left wing tip looking at me and the right wing looking toward heaven. Was just something special, no known reason. The rest of the way home to Gravel Ridge, I thought of pre-flights, BPOs, all day appointment at the wash rack, brake changes, tire changes, TDY memories that will last forever, late night engine runs, and on and on. Do you live near a C-130 base. I would not trade the sounds for anything. Still when the wind is right, I can her purr during engine runs at night. I think it was Haggard that said something like "even the bad times are good". I say even the bad times WERE good. What I wouldn't give!! HighTide "Wayne" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACAF Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Hey Wayne, I live off Hwy 5 and watch and listen to our beloved Herky daily. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Being and old crew chief myself, I share those same memories. Bill Fason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdenn_58 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I have taken it a step farther and want to share some of these feelings and memories with my kids and grandkids. I started writing down little stories and then current events of my 30 years in the military. One day when I am gone they will be able to have a personal view of the events of yesteryear instead of reading a paragraph or two in a history book. What we all did was important. Too bad we sometimes don't realize it while it's happening. In some small ways, we made a difference. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tusker Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Hi guys! I remember my last day at CFB Trenton. I went in a Herc , up the flight deck, I sat at the FE spot touched the throttles. I knew dam well It was probably the last time. You cannot forget working on Hercules.................................Cheers!.................John Boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey_G Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 As much as I share the same love for the 130, I don't share the same love for the location, I cannot wait to leave this place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdenn_58 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Mikey, You will feel a little different in the years to come. The memories won't be so bad down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 :DWayne and Billy you guys or right on. I don`t live near a Air Base but not to for from the airport here and the C-130`s come up from dobbins and nashville to shoot touch and goes a couple days a week. I live on top of a ridge and some day they come right down the ridge line and I about knock down the door to get out side to get a look at it, but I sure do miss those days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EClark Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I get to live those days just about everyday for I live about 12 miles from Robins A.F.B. north and alittle bit west in Macon Ga.Oh those fans of freedom,keep me so young.But thats not all we are lucky here we have all kinds of aircraft come in and out.The 116th is here with there planes top secret stuff.And I love everyday in my back yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I live in Columbus Montana, and as many of you know, there isn't a Herc around for hundreds of miles unless there is something going on. Whenever one goes over which isn't very often unless there are forest fires around, I can hear them coming and head outside and start staring at the sky! The neighbors look at me like I am some kind of fool! I swear I haven't missed one going over in years and I can't hear shit normally!!! A few years ago, one flew right up the Yellowstone River over town refueling two helicopters! What a sight! The last one I saw on the ground was a Marine bird at an Airshow in Billings. It was parked next to a C-5A and I had it all to myself! Hell, when I walked in, it felt like I had never left them! Ah, the sweet smell of hydraulic fluid!!!! Enough of this crap, I am going to re-up!!!!! Ken PS What kind of job could I get now??? Greeter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEFEGeorge Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I work at the UPS flight training facility at Anc, almost next to Kulis. Of course we don't have windows on the airport side of the building but every now and then you can hear those turboprops humming along as they taxi, GI, LSGI, GI, and a little waif of the smell. It's probably the Lynden Hercs I hear but the T56s are still turning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fräulein Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 (edited) Do you live near a C-130 base. I would not trade the sounds for anything. Still when the wind is right, I can her purr during engine runs at night. I think it was Haggard that said something like "even the bad times are good". I say even the bad times WERE good. What I wouldn't give!! HighTide "Wayne" I miss the run up and run down drone. But I still smile and have some feelings of being content and happy when I hear one drone overhead. Kirtland, as I understand has a few for special missions. The distinct sound was such a prevalent noise in my childhood growing up at Clark. The run ups were usually about the time we were passing the flighline in the bus on the way to school. And the run down on the way home from school. And then there were the late night run ups - the sound would put me to sleep. The other week we were out somewhere in town and I heard it. I said "There is a herk coming in." We waited about ten minutes and there she was. Just moving in slow motion across the sky. I live on top of a ridge and some day they come right down the ridge line and I about knock down the door to get out side to get a look at it, but I sure do miss those days. This is me. Sometimes they will be coming in on approach (I live about 15-20 miles out) It is something I have always done. I run outside and wave. Edited February 17, 2010 by Fräulein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwon Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 There was a store on a ridge in the approch path to the runway at Sewart. Rumor has it that there were tire marks from a Herky on the roof of that store. I don't remember if I ever saw them or not. I have a picture of them in my mind. Can anyone confirm this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwon Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 In 67 I got a job at Donaldson Center which was an AFB till about 61 or so. One evening after I got home I thought I heard the faint sounds of the engines running. I knew then as well as I know now that I couldn't hear anything from there as it was 40 miles away. The next morning when I went to work I found out that they had done an engine run the evening before. I had even told my wife when I thought heard it. Funny how the mind can play tricks on a person. LTV Electrosystems was trying to get an IRAN contract on the Herks. It didn't happen. They only got 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey_G Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Mikey, You will feel a little different in the years to come. The memories won't be so bad down the road. I've got plenty of great memories flying, met some great folks, had a lot of fun TDY, I just won't be missing Arkansas...at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Wilson Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Well I live just north of Eglin, Hurlburt and Duke so I get to see lots of Herks every day and don't have to leave home:D But at the same time its a mixed blessing as it still just about tears me apart that I will never fly again:mad: my career ended in a really disappointing way and I would have really loved to end it different - hell I never even got a fini flight. But I will really miss the aircraft if I ever get to move out of FL like I have been waiting to do, waited just a little too long to sell the house - rats. Kirtland, as I understand has a few for special missions. When I left Albatraz er Albuquerque I think we (the 550th) had 9 Herks, 4 MC-P's 1 HC-P and four Talon II's, its the school house for those airframes. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc130pfe Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 My Favorite sound is the Herky Growl. You know when all 4 are in LSGI and throttles are pushed forward enough to make the engines quiet, then the pilot pulls them back into the GI Detent and she makes a growling noise. That is an awesome sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenmonster Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 My Favorite sound is the Herky Growl. You know when all 4 are in LSGI and throttles are pushed forward enough to make the engines quiet, then the pilot pulls them back into the GI Detent and she makes a growling noise. That is an awesome sound. I used to do that when working grave shift at Pope. About 3 AM for a couple of minuites straight. Used to wake up the whole base..:rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fräulein Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 (edited) When I left Albatraz er Albuquerque I think we (the 550th) had 9 Herks, 4 MC-P's 1 HC-P and four Talon II's, its the school house for those airframes. Dan I think it is 9 and the one grey A model. {current google map has nine the grey a model is missing.} But they now share the "barn" with some Ospreys. Which I like to think of as the little bastard child of the Herk. :D Edited February 17, 2010 by Fräulein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Wilson Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 There's an A model at Kirtland? Who's is it and whats it doing there, any of you 550th guys out there fill in the details? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey_G Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 (edited) I just left there as a student and I never saw a gray A model. Maybe he's talking about the bird that tests the funky laser? I think it's white though. I don't know the total number of birds at Kirtland, but I know there aren't 4 Talon II's. Edited February 17, 2010 by Mikey_G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3_Super_Bee Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Do you live near a C-130 base. I would not trade the sounds for anything. Still when the wind is right, I can her purr during engine runs at night. I think it was Haggard that said something like "even the bad times are good". I say even the bad times WERE good. What I wouldn't give!! HighTide "Wayne" I missed the sound of the T-56 after retiring from the Navy... Now working at Lockheed so get to hear the Herks at Dobbins, as well as the "J" models in flight test.... Too bad the new Rolls Royce and the 6 blade don't have that "sound" :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fräulein Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 (edited) There's an A model at Kirtland? Who's is it and whats it doing there, any of you 550th guys out there fill in the details? Dan was? http://www.herkybirds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=983 I believe so - Like I had said in the original post - I believe it is "experimented" on. But that becomes the rumor of any aircraft that sits long enough at Kirtland. It is no longer on the google image that I had pulled a few months ago either. If you go to the current google image of the barn - it is no longer there. Maybe he's talking about the bird that tests the funky laser? . Frau is a she. ;) Edited February 18, 2010 by Fräulein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Wilson Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 MMMM that looks a lot like a MC-P or HC-P, externals and refueling pods. "Guys" is a generic term nowdays:D Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey_G Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Frau is a she. Err..uhh...ehhh...aaaaaaah, open mouth insert foot? :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fräulein Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 MMMM that looks a lot like a MC-P or HC-P, externals and refueling pods. "Guys" is a generic term nowdays:D Dan Ah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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