Metalbasher

Pix of latest Herk in the dirt in Iraq...June 08

is it the life raft tub? Thought about the old radio compartment panel area but most of those have been riveted down by now.

As of now, according to a co-worker that is assigned to teh DARB, tehy are still flying schoolhouse missions. Suppose to be in the transition mode now but that looks questionable.

Air Force Retires Storied C-130: One of the oldest aircraft in USAF\'s inventory, a C-130E transport with tail number 63-7865, left its home with the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein AB, Germany, for the last time June 4 to fly into retirement back in the US. Stars and Stripes reported June 5 that the aircraft has had an illustrious life, with more than 44 years of service, even winning an honorary Purple Heart in 1972 during the Vietnam War for the severe damage that it sustained. Its last combat sortie occurred in November 2007 in Iraq. The airplane will be stored in the \"boneyard\" at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. By the end of the summer, the 86th AW expects to retire five of its C-130Es, each of which entered service between 1964 and 1965. The wing is scheduled to receive its first new C-130J aircraft next spring. (Includes Ramstein report by Capt. Jeffrey Holland)

Many hats off and a big thanks to Bob and everyone else that expend the huge effort that goes into providing pix for everyone to view...OUTSTANDING JOB!!!

If I\'m not mistaken, I believe I saw it in the AF Museum at Wright Patt a few months ago...big display about the aircrat and how it got named etc. Scott

I\'m just going by what the technicians in the hangar told me. 011 wasn\'t quite in work yet...CWB was still on the aircraft etc. The otehr acft had the CWB removed and they were diligently working on doing the modifications they needed to do in order to install the \"J\" CWB. According to the technicians, the \"J\" model CWB was quite different...it is beefier in several areas when compared to the \"H\" CWB. I\'m not sure what constitutes a SOF CWB...is it a \"J\" CWB or an \"H\" CWB or possibly a combination of both specifically modified for SOF. Are only SOF acft getting the SOF CWBs or will everything get a SOF CWB?

Much to my surprise, I was down in a hangar last week and they WR-ALC was changing a CWB on an AFSOC acft. The surprise wasn\'t the CWB change but that they were installing a \"J\" model CWB and wings on the acft. Additionally, in the next bay was a T2 that was getting a CWB change as well, but it was getting an \"H\" CWB and wings. Not sure where the sense lies with that...one would think that as valuable as T2s are, they would be getting the \"J\" CWB and wings. But then again the EBH time may come into play faster on T2.

When at Pope in the late 80s we had an acft in Africa hit an BIG eagle. Went between the props on left wing. Big enough that it demolished the nose cone on the ext tank and then proceeded into the center leading edge. Wasn\'t much left of it either...hit with enough force that it destroyed the leading edge and damaged the leading edge hinge segement on the spar side. As a Sheet Metal guy, I\'ve fixed many a bird strike but this was the worst one I\'ve ever seen. Scott

Thanks Don...boy talk about a scary looking contraption! I only heard about those things...one can only imagine why someone came up with the idea of the highboy forklift...got scared to death. Couldn\'t imagine using this under fire/hostile conditions. Scott

Wouldn\'t by chance have a pic of the over the wing sling in use do you? Alot of people have never seen it in use. Thanks Scott

Ramstein receives first upgraded C-130 11/21/2007 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- Bigger, faster, stronger. That is what the Air Force has in mind with its new J model C-130 Hercules aircraft, unveiled at Ramstein Nov. 9, and meant to replace the C-130E. With an extended cargo bay and added features, the C-130J is set to attack and execute any mission set in front of it, officials said. \"Adding the C-130J to Ramstein\'s airlift mission will greatly aid in mission success\" said Maj. Jason Terry, who is with Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Ramstein currently has 17 C-130E model aircraft, all of which are still scheduled to fly until they are completely phased out by the new C-130J\'s, between 2009 and 2011. Air National Guard member Master Sgt. John McDonald felt the difference, he said. \"I noticed the take off was a lot faster and smoother than the C-130E,\" he said. \"The flight seemed quick and smooth. Guard members at Quonset State Airport, R.I., are excited to be among the first to have the new C-130Js assigned to them.\" Some of the added features to the C-130 include a flexible design, which enables the aircraft to be configured for many different missions. This allows one aircraft to perform the role of many. \"The new cockpit of the aircraft really enhances situational awareness with bigger windows,\" said Lt. Col. Todd Oliver, who is with the 38th Airlift Squadron (provisional). \"Larger and more accurate radars have made it easier for us pilots to successfully reach our destinations no matter the weather.\" Fewer dials in the C-130\'s cockpit have made for a sleeker and modern look, said Major Terry. The more efficient cockpit has reduced the workload of the aircrew reducing aircrew members to four personnel from six. The Combined Noise Abatement Committee met with Brig. Gen. Rich Johnston, 86th Airlift Wing commander, to discuss how the noise of the new aircraft would affect the Kaiserslautern community. Committee members where able to watch as the C-130J took off, landed and taxied around the Ramstein flight line. After witnessing this, committee members were impressed with the seemingly reduced noise of the new aircraft and welcomed the C-130J to Ramstein. \"The C-130 is a very well-loved aircraft, it\'s one of the aircraft that the Air Force is most known for,\" said Major Terry. \"Most people recognize the C-130 as bringing help. It\'s great to see it evolve into what it is today.\"

11/14/2007 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- A 44-year-old C-130 with a Purple Heart and more than 29,500 flying hours flew its final combat mission Nov. 13 here. Aircraft 63-7865, belonging to Ramstein Air Base, Germany\'s 86th Airlift Wing and currently assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing here, transported servicemembers and cargo between bases in the region before landing after its final combat sortie. \"It was an honor for me to fly this last combat sortie for 63-7865. It is amazing and humbling to know that this aircraft had an illustrious history and combat record dating back over a quarter century even before I flew it for the first time more than 17 years ago,\" said Col. Brian O\'Connor, 386 AEW vice commander. \"There are certainly a multitude of operators and maintainers who have distinct memories of 7865 over its 44 years of service; I am fortunate to be one of those individuals. It is fitting that this aircraft closed out its career with superlative combat service in Iraq and there wasn\'t a better way for it to fly into the sunset of its career.\" Colonel O\'Connor first flew the aircraft in 1990 while assigned to the 21st Tactical Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan. He flew the aircraft on at least seven missions while stationed in the Pacific. Another pilot here has a history with this particular C-130. Lt. Col. Rick Matton, currently deployed from Yokota, flew 63-7865 11 times while on a previous assignment to the air base. \"It\'s definitely a bittersweet day,\" said Colonel Matton, also a pilot on the last mission and currently the 386th Expeditionary Operations Group deputy commander. \"Knowing the history that she\'s been through, especially with her Vietnam experience, I was completely honored by the opportunity to fly her last combat mission.\" On the flight deck of aircraft 63-7865 is a plaque telling the story of its honorary Purple Heart. According to the certificate, on June 1, 1972, the aircraft was assigned to the 21 TAS at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan, when it took a mortar round through engine No. 3 while sitting on the flightline on Kontum Air Base, Vietnam. After a maintenance recovery team replaced the engine, the aircraft was once again ready to fly. But just as the pilot Lt. Col. Lyn Mulkey taxied the C-130 for takeoff, the new engine failed to start, forcing a three-engine takeoff. Despite taking even more incoming mortar rounds that punctured the wings and inflicted heavy damage to its other engines, the colonel got the aircraft airborne. The war-torn C-130 could only reach 1,000 feet due to its damage and had to make an emergency landing at Plieku Air Base, Vietnam, where it was determined that the combat aircraft would need two new wings and four engines. \"The task of keeping an aircraft mission ready is a daunting task, and taking care of 7865 was no different,\" said Lt. Col. Shirlene Ostrov, 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander. \"The caliber of people we have working in maintenance is tremendous. This aircraft represents the outstanding aircrews who flew here and the talented maintainers that kept her flying.\" Aircraft 63-7865 will soon be flown back to Ramstein and then to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, also known as the \"Boneyard,\" located near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The Pilot was Reed Mulkey