Spectre623

Saw this on u tube today. It is a museum in Viet Nam. It is an unused BLU-82 (duhh,really?). For all you guys involved with that program...including the maint. and munitions guys, I thought this might bring back some memories. Included are a few pics and one of my M-121,10,000 lb bomb fuse well plug, from a bomb that was dropped from my C-130B outta Clark. 10,000 lb bombs were dropped from the C-130B till they were used up and replaced with the 15,000 lb bomb, the BLU-82. These were used to create helo landing zones and were sometime actually dropped on old Charlie's head. If any of you on this board were involved with this mission, chime in. I know Sam McGowan dropped several and has written some good accounts of the procedure. Bill

Great pic Bob, just inside those doors in Bld. B-1 she was built 59 years ago and now is at rest within sight of her birth place. Don't get no better than that. Bill:)

Was out at Dobbins for a Christmas party today and saw the carbon brakes on one of their H-3's they just received from the Rock. I asked one of the c/c's about the popping and clicking. He said theirs did until they got a little time on them. The wheels and hub cap sure look different from the old style. He said the carbon sure dirtied up the wheel well and anyone who climbed inside.They were told the brakes should last 10 years before wearing out. Also Mansfield C/C's were getting ready to leave with 81-0629. Bill

Spent my first 12 years on active duty and my last 29 in the guard and reserves. As a C-141 FE on active duty I flew with reserve flight crew and they were trained to the same degree I was. Only way I knew they were reserve was their unit patch. I will tell you now the AF guard and reserves are top notch. After active duty,most of the C-130 guys I worked with had done their 4 on active duty and were in the guard or reserves because they wanted to continue to serve their country,for whatever reason. I saw many of them stay in under extreme hardships including being threatened with losing their job, taking their civ. vacation time to be able to deploy, losing over time from being at drill, jerked around on work schedules, etc. Their depth of knowledge of the C-130 was and is amazing. Dedication in the guard and reserves is second to none. You don't join the guard to be a slacker! What Bush did is ok by me. Bill

Yep, Bush the vet, wasn't all that sharp as he was "only",qualified in the T-33, T-37, T-38 and F-102. But he is still a vet and was honorably discharged and he didn't throw his ribbons over the white house fence like some clowns in Washington did. Bill

Right Larry, TCTO 1C-130-740.1963-64 time frame. Bill

Found it. You old old guys remember it? I do. Bill

Would loved to have rode on that puppy. Great pics Bob. Bill

I was an A3C sitting in the copilots seat goofing off listening to the local radio station on the ADF radio in a C-130A. Never forget it. Bill

Have a happy one Casey. Thanks for keeping this site hopping and putting up with all of "THOSE" other weird people on this site, ha ha. Bill

Thud105, if you check further you will see the extra engines Lockheed used on the BLC B model (58-0712) were YT-56-A-6 engines sans the gearbox. AF didn't buy into the proposed new C-130C model with the BLC and it was converted back to a standard B model with wings from a crashed L-100 (sn 4109). And yes you are right about NASA using and owning it for a long time with and without BLC. Landing speed 70 MPH Stall speed 50 MPH. Bill

Anyone remember the big wedge-shaped NLG downlock? As a one-striper on my first TDY by myself, I really got my butt chewed out by the FE, Msgt Marchman over it.

Don R.

Been there done that. The old NLG down lock device weighed as much as an anvil! Anyone out there have a picture of that old clunker? Bill

Very true about the Navy guys. My cuz had 3 tours in VN on a tin can in the Gulf. Just turned up with type 2 diabetes and I advised him to get with the VA about a service connected claim...he did. VA said he was in the BLUE WATER NAVY and that did not expose him to agent orange so he was denied help. His 12 years on active duty gets him nothing now when he needs it...that really SUCKS!!! Bill

Weather channel reports over10,000 dead in the Philipines...so sad. Bill

You found it Bob,2 tone blue, silver and white. It does appear to be an AN 12 SFE George. Also the link showing the Herk is inflight as you can see its shadow. A geo tag basically just gives the pictures a location on earth. Bill

Tonight Thurs 11/7/13 Weather Channel says the worlds strongest typhoon is headed for the P.I. Predicted winds from 190 to 230 MPH. Looks like it will hit Cebu City but miss Angelese City. All us old P.I. Herk guys need to pray for them. There are about 3000 ex GIs living in the PI but about 58 million total people live in the PI. I remember typhoon bug outs but this looks like the macdaddy of all time. Bill Clark AB 69-70

Hey Bob, I googled Huntsville and found a C-130 look a like but could not find a Herk. This one really looks like one till you get close enough to see the wing clearly. The leading is swept backward and the trailing edge is straight... the exact reverse of a Herk wing. The motors stick out a bit to much. It is located between the parallel runways just west of Red Stone to the right of the main terminal. Where is the real Herk located? Bill

Bob YOU are in big trouble if she reads this!!! Ha Ha , Bill

I see we both see it that way Ken, ha ha . Maybe I'll take a pic with me sittin' on the ramp of Ghost Rider and post it here with my avatar and get a vote ha ha. Bill

My problem is that everyone my age has sure aged a lot but for some reason...to me, I look like I did 40 years ago. Could be just me...anyone else like that? ha ha Bill

Hey Tinwhistle put a name to each pic. I don't know those "old guys" just the young "Bucks" we used to be, ha ha Bill

Happy birthday Bob. Post a current pic so we can see what you look like...and see if you are getting as old as us ha ha. Bill

You are right Ken, it is good to be able to see the Herks in the sky around Lockheed and Dobbins . And having the museum at the back corner of Lockheed With Ghost Rider in it and to be able to work on her is the icing on the cake. Glad you like the pics. Will keep this page updated on Ghost Rider. Bill

Another couple of pics of Ghostrider in the museum looking east towards Lockheed building B-1 (with the blue stripe) where she was built 59 years ago. Some journey huh? Also the sign we used to set beside Ghostrider that our Fab Shop made 17 years ago showed up the other day. They said they found it stuffed in with some other junk at Dobbins. Whoever it was who brought it by...thanks. More memories of bygone days on the Herk. Bill

Hello David, in this lower picture of 0041 if you inlarge it you can plainly see the safety valve outlet on the left side of the aft cargo door (the round black dot). This valve is in the center of the door on A models near the hinge point and in the left hand upper corner on B's,E's,H's.I don't mean any harm in picking the photo's apart...but it's been interesting as I was assigned to A and B models about the time these pictures were taken back in the early 60's. Also your albums are wonderful. Bill :)