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I had the privilege of flying on one from Rota, Spain to Sigonella, Sicily in 1979, and worked on some of the M61A1 20mm that flew in the Puff's

My nephew is a mechanic on an AC-130 gunship crew. The platform is a real workhorse and has a lot of capabilities and versatility.

I spent a fair amount of time in and around C-130s. I've loaded them, unloaded them and stood watch over them as a member of a firefighting team. Once I even loaded the body of a fallen comrade on one. I've flown more than a few miles on them too.

They are a dependable and versatile workhorse.

Edit: I realized "fire team" might be misconstrued, so I corrected it.

Fat Albert will be in town soon with the Blue Angels.

Keith B wrote:The platform is a real workhorse and has a lot of capabilities and versatility.

I think it's the "J" version that the Hurricane Hunters fly out of Biloxi

I was very close to changing jobs from computer programmer to sensor operator on the AC-130. That was before all the dustups in the Middle East. (right after Desert Storm and before any of the current stuff).

I think career wise I made the right choice but man, it should would have been fun to shoot that cannon.

My father started with the A model of the C-130 as they were beginning to come off the assembly line in Georgia and remained with C-130's in one way or another for the rest of his Air Force career. That platform has definitely been a workhorse around the world in many different forms and fashions...

But what impresses me most about the Hercules is something I hadn't found out until I was riding one on a flight from Tan Son Nhut AB near Saigon up to DaNang... did you know the C-130 can back itself up? One of the few aircraft that can do that, the pilot reverses thrust on the props and that sucker'll back itself out of a parking spot or a revetment. Ha! Never knew that till our's did it.

It is an awesome airplane.

My dad was a government QA guy at Allison in Indianapolis from sometime in the 1960s to 1980 or so. That's where all the C-130 engines (and a lot of other military stuff) were manufactured until the J-model came out. I grew up thinking the USAF was composed of C-130s, and some other miscellaneous airplanes. :)

I have quite a few air passenger miles in C-130s, have flown one in a simulator at Little Rock AFB (I crashed on landing ) and have jumped out a two or three of them as well. AIRBORNE! You think they're loud on the inside, try being right behind one of those T-56 turboprops in mid-air when it is cranking the prop at full boogie. Holy smokes.

There were some marvelous aircraft designed in the 1950s and 60s. Just amazing.

It's one of those machines like the B-52. No reason to replace it, because there's nothing that will do the task any better. The C-130 is what they use to ferry supplies to the research stations in Antarctica; jets cannot operate in such cold weather. I have a brother-in-law who was in the Air Force, he was an avionics technician for the AC-130, stationed at Hurlburt Field in Florida. Got to take a tour of one when we visited him down there. He also gave me a 105MM shellcasing that was expended in Afghanistan

They're literally the perfect gunship platform; lots of capacity for munitions, a huge profile that you can line with guns, and a long loiter time over a target.

As an Air Force vet I have alot of respect for the guys (and gals) with boots in the mud (or on the deck), but nothing brings the pain like the USAF :D

I've always admired the AC-130 and the A-10. Workhorse aircraft that can lay down a world of hurt. When I was considering joining the service, becoming an AC-130 crew member was on my short list of occupations I was interested in. Shame it never panned out.

I've been a passenger on C-130's having taken off some 40ish times. I've only landed in them twice.

Dragonfighter wrote:I've been a passenger on C-130's having taken off some 40ish times. I've only landed in them twice.

Jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, huh?

SQLGeek wrote:I've always admired the AC-130 and the A-10. Workhorse aircraft that can lay down a world of hurt. When I was considering joining the service, becoming an AC-130 crew member was on my short list of occupations I was interested in. Shame it never panned out.

Those are my two favorites also! I'm sad to see the A10's being retired. They are a worthy and necessary plane. I recognize the sound of that engine anywhere.

My husband's first airframe was the c130 H. I never worried about him not making it home from deployment.

I just remembered that the Governor of Texas was a C-130 pilot.