The Venerable C-130

[RetNavy]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/19/af ... latestnews

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

[Keith B]

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.

[Pawpaw]

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.

[PBratton]

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

[RetNavy]

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

[bigity]

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.

[n5wd]

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.

[ELB]

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.

[bryan1980]

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.

[bigity]

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

[SQLGeek]

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.

[Dragonfighter]

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

[n5wd]

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?

[CHLLady]

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.

[ELB]

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