"C-130 Airlifter: The Most Successful Military Aircraft Ever" Topic

"Later this year, the U.S. Air Force will do something unprecedented. It will sign a contract to purchase more tactical airlifters from a program that first began turning out planes 60 years ago. The latest version of the plane is called the C-130J Super Hercules, and if you measure success in the military aircraft business by how many users a plane has, how many missions it performs, or how long it has been in continuous production, then Hercules is hands down the most successful military aircraft ever. This month marks the 60th anniversary of the plane's first flight on August 23, 1954.

How long ago was that? Most of the music being sold in the U.S. back then consisted of 78 R.P.M. records. A majority of residential phones were on "party lines," meaning your neighbor could listen in on your calls. There were only three television networks that mattered, and they broadcast exclusively in black-and-white. Microwave ovens cost thousands of dollars — tens of thousands in today's dollars — and you couldn't get a deal on one at WalMart because WalMart didn't exist. The Worldwide Web would not appear for another 40 years.

The idea that an Air Force contract awarded during the Truman Administration — on July 2, 1951 — could lead to a plane that not only is still in production today, but in high demand around the world, is simply incredible. But it's true: there are 2,000 C-130s of various vintages and configurations currently in use, and prime-contractor Lockheed Martin LMT -0.81% keeps finding new uses for the plane (the latest versions are for maritime patrol and commercial operations). All of the U.S. armed forces including the Coast Guard depend on Hercules, as do the vast majority of militaries in the Western Hemisphere, Southeast Asia, Western Europe and Arabia…"
Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

Last I heard the US had a couple of hundred C-130s in storage in the Nevada desert.

Still, a few more shiny new toys never hurt

Not sure – DC3/C47 was around 20 years earlier, lots more were built and used by Russia/China as well as Western and non-aligned States, many are still flying with civil airlines.

I'd prefer to call it a draw.

Definitely a workhorse. I still prefer the lines of the DC-3/C-47, but that's down to personal preference.

And both of them served as AC gunships, so they have that in common, too.

Last I heard the US had a couple of hundred C-130s in storage in the Nevada desert.

Saw a bunch of them on a tour of the Boneyard just last month. Mostly earlier models.

Fine aircraft,don't see why the herc can' t carry on for many years yet

My vote goes to the B-52, though perhaps the C-130 is the most successful "cargo aircraft" ever.

Most exciting ride I ever had in a aircraft was in a C-130 Going from England to Germany. The pilot must have thought he was in a F-15C because he tried to do a vertical take off. And when we landed I think he thought he was in going into a grass field under fire.

That sounds like a 'Khe-Sahn' approach.

Fly in at 10k ft+, chop the throttles, flaps 50%, stick nose down to at least 60degs down, pull stick back at last moment to avoid the 'cumulo-granite' and prey the brakes work.

And whilst still rolling invite the 'self-loading freight' to exit via the back door.

I rode a C-130 into Bagram with a bunch of Hog drivers--the load master came back to warn us we were doing a "combat landing", which was a lot like what you're describing. Needless to say, the Hog drivers weren't impressed, but I thought it was a helluva ride.

I think half the time the Hog drivers are doing 'combat landings' like that, too. They sure don't seem to do many normal approaches at the local airport!

I travel in one C-130 back to 1982.
It wasn't a comfortable journey! (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Of course it wasn't, Armand, the Air Force wanted to make sure you'd get out of the aircraft and fight so they tried to make you miserable on the trip over!

We did the same thing to Marines in the US Navy.

The real reason I think the C130 is better than the DC3 is that the C130 is still being produced 60 years later. Properly maintained, aircraft last a very, very long time, so of course there are still DC3s flying. Douglas made more than 10,000 of them! But DC3s haven't been built since the 1940s.

Two C-130J Super Hercules succesfully employed air to air tactics against F-16 Fighting Falcon.

See the article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

My dear friend… "miserable" is the word to be used from the first minut of that campaing… (smile).

Amicalement
Armand