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Memories never die


HighTide
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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"

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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

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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

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: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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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 by Fräulein
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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.

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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

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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:

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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 by Fräulein
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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 by Mikey_G
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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" :(

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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

th_thisone.jpg

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 by Fräulein
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