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C-130A HERCULES TAIL NUMBERS OF THE VNAF


airfix1338
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Hello all again,to add to my previous discovery on youtube-I have found another! The title is Abril de Vietnam en el ano del gato (Santiago Alverez 1975).It is a Cuban Spanish language film lasting about 2 hours showing The Republic of Viet Nam in the aftermath of its invasion in 1975. The soundtrack is appalling so I muted it, but, besides the many fascinating scenes in it at 1hr 48m 50s are scenes in colour and b&w of TAN SON NHUT AIRBASE,including C-130A aircraft on the southern ramp area damaged and destroyed including 56-0489/GZJ,an unidentifiable C-130A burnt out next to it and further south another C-130A coded GZL.I recommend everyone to see it-more pictures of a once proud VNAF conquered by a cruel and brutal tyranny.

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Hello HercMX-the film is on youtube.Apparently it has been put on DVD in 2006 in Argentina.I am trying to track down a copy-to no avail-does anyone have a DVD of it?if so I would like to get one-especially if the picture quality is improved-I might be able to fill in some knowledge gaps as to which Aircraft is which- such as GZL....

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Hello all,I have just received a book-UNITED STATES AIR FORCES DIRECTORY 2014/15.Published by Mach 111 Publishing on the website AVIATION RETAIL DIRECT-the book is so popular it is in its second printing-I had to wait for mine-the information in it is first rate-including on our favourite-the C-130 Hercules.My original question on this thread is answered in this book-the 5 C-130A in Singapore undergoing wing repairs were 55-00012/GZH  55-00034/HCE  56-00518/HCM  56-00545/HCP  57-00472/HC?.Apart from 57-00460/HCF which defected  to Singapore on 24th April 1975 and was interned the remaining 9 C-130A that escaped were 55-00008/HCC  55-00027/GZA  56-00479/GZM  56-00481/???  56-00483/???  56-00495/???  56-00500/HCL  56-00524/???  56-00543/???  .All of these aircraft went to the United States via Guam in 1975-most re-entering USAF service.

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I think 57-0460 HCF also escaped in 1975 and was returned to USAF

4 of them went into AMARG at DM right away

55-0012,55-0034, 56-0545, and 57-0472. The rest flew with the Guard and Reserve until the late 80's when the A's were phased out.

Bob

Edited by bobdaley
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Hello again Bob-you are correct about everything in your reply,however the mystery remains as to which aircraft have which correct tailcodes? GZG and GZM were photographed at U Tapao in April 1975 after they escaped from the communist invasion-I have been unable to tie-up these with their respective Aircraft. Does ANYONE have any information or photos of the Aircraft in 1975?I am particularly interested in Guam where all Aircraft transited back to the USA-was anyone reading this there in that timeframe?Please reply if you have ANY information.Also MASDC/AMARC pictures of the returned Aircraft.

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My latest information on VNAF C-130A Aircraft- 54-01631/???  54-01634/???  54-01640/HCO  55-00001/GZB  55-00002/???  55-00005/GZC  55-00006/???   55-00008/HCC   55-00012/GZH   55-00013/HCD  55-00016/GZE  55-00017/GZL  55-00027/GZA  55-00034/HCE  55-00045/HCA  56-00476/HCI  56-00479/GZM  56-00481/???  56-00482/HCK  56-00483/???  56-00489/GZJ  56-00495/???  56-00500/HCL  56-00505/???  56-00518/HCM  56-00519/GZP  56-00521/HCH  56-00524/???  56-00532/GZN  56-00542/GZI  56-00543/???  56-00545/HCP  57-00460/HCF  57-00465/???  57-00472/HC?    Any information or corrections are welcome.Thankyou,regards simon.

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Most of the information below the chart is from a Professor Leeker who did a lot of writing for the UT Dallas Air America Collection.

Bob

I take Leeker's records with a grain of salt. He seems to be considering routine transfers for maintenance as transfers to the CIA. I don't know how the Kadena office handled the paperwork when they baled an airplane but he shows practically every airplane in 315th Air Division as being used by the CIA at some time or other.

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On 16.01.2014. at 10:02 PM, airfix1338 said:

next 56-0545 HCP-this is the correct tailcode for this aircraft(it is not 56-0519-this is GZP- I have many pictures of this aircraft from the internet!)

 

Check this pic out. Bob

Hi, I did find this one, URL]

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Could not find your pic. I have never had a confirmed list of the Vietnamese A's.

Lots of guesses though.

The two pics below confuse me in this case. The second clearly shows 56-0519 and HCP, the first even though not as clear shows 56-0519 as GZP?

Bob

3127H.jpg

3127.jpg

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Hello all,one of my original questions has been answered-I have just received MILITAIR 1982 by John Andrade as a secondhand book-in the section on Vietnam the ex-VNAF C-130A HERCULES that defected to Singapore in 1979 crewed by an ex-VNAF C-130A pilot is identified as 002-the VPAF code for VNAF C-130A 56-0519 GZP captured on the ground at TAN SON NHUT on 29/4/1975.The pilot was probably granted political asylum,the aircraft was presumably collected by a VPAF crew and taken back to communist occupied VIETNAM.Does anyone have anything to add or comment on this?

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Hello again,I have came across another Vietnamese language film called Nhung guong mat thang 5 (phim tai lieu 1975) showing the aftermath of the war in 1975,it shows the final fate of C-130A 55-00045 of the VNAF at Tan Son Nhut. At 2m09s pictures show the aircraft burnt out on the ground on the southern ramp area further south than the group of 3 C-130As led by 56-0489/GZJ.The tailcode is clearly shown on the still intact tailplane which has fallen on the ground as HCA/(0)5-0045.The pictures continue until 3m12s.Anyone got any thoughts or opinions on this?

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On 1/18/2014 at 11:30 AM, bobdaley said:

I'd still like to find an accurate, confirmed listing of the SVAF tail codes to USAF tail numbers or Lockheed numbers.

I never have been able to get one and we get a lot of he said- she said type of info.

Any help out there?

Bob

Bob was 56-519 the A/C  that went to museum in Hue??

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You guys never cease to amaze me with your aircraft history. Since I worked on every airframe on the ramp, I was never tied closely to any single tail number. They all seemed to break at the same rate for us, which was all the time.

It seems similar to growing up in one town all your life and knowing everyone, compared to being a military brat and moving constantly, always breaking and making friendships at the drop of a hat. I was the latter.

Tiny

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  • 7 months later...

Hi bob, two  south VN pilots flew their c130a to Utapao from con son island on 1 May 1975. Can you or anyone help to find the tail number on that aircraft and the passenger list? Or provide suggestion?

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