Wombat

Lockheed have an elevator/rudder gust lock which is listed in the dash 4. Elevators are sometimes pulled back in order to clear some of those idiots driving the forklifts when loading cargo. Kelly AFB still bears the scars on the ramp from the loss of an L-100 when it's control column lock fell back on rotation and locked them at full up elevator. Alos in '95 I had to replace both control columns on 3212 at Dothan, Alabama, after Hayes mechanics tied them back to the crew seats with tie down straps. Both columns broke through the tube where they meet the base casting.

The dash 3 should help with crew door drawings. Also, check the manufacture's code for the windows. You might be able to get the plexiglas specs from them. You might also be able to get some windows from the A models held by National Aircraft in Tucson. The outer window should be the same PN. Only the inner panel is different on the A model as compared to the B and on.

Contact me on: [email protected] We have 14 C-130A airframes with the wings still intact in 11 of them. I'm sure we can find what you need.

The pole is also know as a bail out rail. It has a hand stop at the bottom attachment so your hand doesn't get wedged if you had to use it for airborne bail out. You were supposed to pull the crew door jettison and slide down the pole and miss #2 prop on the way past. Now you just jettison the door, squat at the opening and roll forward and out.

The T-56-A-11 series engines are 4050 eshp, the same as the -7 series. They use a -7 gearbox instead of a -9 unit so turns the prop at 1020 rpm instead of 1016 as on the -9. The power section is an Allison 501D13 unit specially ordered for the RAAF to run kerosine fuel not JP-4. The -11 is different enough to the -9 that it uses Allison manuals (11R1,2,3,4) instead of US Tech Orders for overhaul .

If it had a "red rat" on the tail, it might have been zapped by Aussies someplace it had been.

If you mean the panels at the outer ends of the ramp access panel, the RAAF just drilled a 1/4" hole at the lowest point where there was no interference with the rest of the structure. The mod was authorized at local engineering level.

The aircraft paint tag shows August 2007 as paint date. I guess this means a PDM was daone at that time. It seems a lot of expense to go to if there was something wrong with the airframe. The aircraft is complete less sensitive equipment.

it seems they may have used aircraft with the last 3 digits being; 0503. National A/c has an A model that was used by Air America and they moved an E model out of AMARG with the same last 3 digits. The "ship" number took a bit to confirm asit was carrying several different ones and the fin number had a 4 painted over a 5. It also had provisions for covering the insignia and numbers as does the A model.

Let me know what drawings you need and I'll copy them for you. You can contact me at: [email protected]

Casey, I have a set of -3, -23 and -36 if they are of any help for specific drawings or profiles. Wombat

A models without -II mods could hold: outboards= 8,400 lbs by SPR, inboards= 7,600 lbs by SPR. The A does not have a 3% airspace filler neck as for B and on, so can be overwing filled to overflowing. Full SPR is 32,000lbs. Full over the wing is 34,000lbs. The pylons are ex-C123 units of 450 US gals for a total of 3,000lbs each. Max fuel is 40,000lbs. The wing is plumbed for active "1,200 gal combat external" tanks that were self sealing in the lower half, but were only installed on -II when needed. The "toy" tanks feed into the inboard tanks via the dual float control valve. The feed logic for the feed method for the -II tanks was to use the internal fuel before you enter a combat zone, select the externals via the square switches on the fuel control panel, hit the Wing Tank Purge button then fly on external fuel only. The purge air pressure was vented via the vent valves. The combat logic was that the wing is a very large target where as the pylons present a smaller target to aim at. The tank purge system was removed and the purge hole sealed. The purge system and external tank info is available in the older manuals for " reference only". As with other systems, the A model went through a lot of changes during production due to some systems being outdated by the time the B was introduced. It is a technically "dirty" aircraft.

Hi Kev, I remember numerous times at Richmond taking mains down to 55psi for soft dirt landings. Also doing a pressure "adjustment" in flight when it was found we were 10 psi over our pavement concession going into Devonport with 15,000lbs of DC, full centre seating (rigged in-flight) plus 50+ grunts going to Hobart. Bennie Raffin was the captain too! Bob M

The snubber is SUPPOSED to dampen the door as it releases from the uplock so there is no sudden drop with a subsequent shock load to the tuning fork and surrounding structure on the door. It never seems to work that way. If the system works as per theory, when you select "DOOR CLOSE", the door raises to take the weight off the uplock, the uplock releases, the door is then powered down. The laws of physics seems to ensure the area of the door cylinder piston causes a faster response than the lock cylinder and usually loads the uplock latch before it releases. The door then drops several inches before the damper and door cylinder hydraulics slows it down. The policy the RAAF used when the H was introduced was to select "DOOR OPEN", pull the manual release then let the switch go and let the door close under it's own weight. Obviously in-flight that isn't practical. Bob D, you might notice in one of the DVD's I sent that it shows a RAAF loadie using the manual release when closing the door. Wombat

Col, Pt Cook might like to know Earl is flying 214! Also the wings on Earl's a/c, 212, were replanked in the mid-70's along with all the other A's. I'm waiting to hear from Earl again regarding sorting the RAAF records so he can understand them. I spoke to him in Dec, 08 about the records and possibly getting a wing assembly (tip-to-tip) that are less than 1500 hours as the RAAF did not fit the beefed up centre wing nor did they fit the 220 splice plates to the outer wings. Bob M

Was it Fritz or T&G/IAR? I worked there waaay back when they got the first A models in 1990 and Serge was still there. I did a recent job for them and they don\'t seem to have anyone who knows how to work Hercs.

The A model only had two ramps styles fitted. 53-3129 thru to 56-0509 had milled plank style panels. After 56-0510, all C-130 ramp floors were fabricated from flat aluminum and had the tie-down pans rivetted in place. The only variations were specific to unique operations where mods had to be made for special equipment or systems. Fitting late A ramps was common to the early airframes. National Aircraft has several airframes fitted this way.

National Aircraft in Tucson has about 10 sets of A model wings still installed that are in display condition as well as 1 set of low time (less that 1500 hours) with records. All are available for sale. They also have 1 set of early E models wings (square dry bay access doors) suitable for class room or static display condition still mounted to the center wing.

Aircraft used in commercial is an early A model. It has the safety valve mounted in the middle of the aft cargo door (just behind the door actuator) and has early series floor. Up to AF56-0509 the floors were full-length milled planks like the wing panels and had square tie-down pans. AF56-0510 and later had the fabricated floor panels with rivetted in oval shaped tie-down pans. If you freeze frame as the atv exits you can see the tie-down pans just forward of the ramp hinge line. It has a post 56-0510 ramp fitted. Ramps will interchange between A models only, but the B,E and H ramps will interchange between those models. The A model has an inflatable ramp seal like the other doors, whereas the B and on uses a lip seal. After it exits, you can see the safety valve hole in the middle of the door. The Beaver tail looks like the later one when you look at them from that angle. The older ones are barely visible from that angle. The Aussie A models were the only batch not fitted with the CPI airfoil tail cone.

Lockheed Service news goes all the way back to the intro of the C-130A. I have all but 2 of the first set. The first is dated November-December 1956. First story is: Meet the Hercules. The cover shows the prototype lifting off on the first flight of a C-130, still fitted with Curtiss-Electric props and test probe on right wingtip. Some Service News can be located on Lockheed\'s website, but not back that far.

How about: Armpit = wing root Tuning fork = Aft cago door actuator lower link and for a foreign flavor from Down Under: Duck\'s arse = old A, B and E beaver tail Piss-o-phone = urinal Large brown smell = unemptied crapper (after several days)

Do you need an airworthy set, a static display set or for mock-up use? If you need them for static or mock-up, we have a set from an early E model. They have been repaired upper and lower and are first generation E wings. They are not in a condition where you would want to fly with them, but are still sealed and mounted on an airframe.

You got skydrol in your Herc hydraulics? Bad tasting coffee is the least of your worries!!

Computer suppliers (eg Best Buy) sell analog-to-digital adapters that conenct you VHS outputs to USB for direct connection to your computer. Prices I\'ve seen so far are between $60 and $80. All you need is this adapter and the red, yellow and white audio/video leads.