Subject: AIR MOBILITY COMMAND News Service - Aug 23, 2004
Reply-To: amc-pai@scott.af.mil

Air Force hero marks 50 years of service

By Betty R. Kennedy
Air Mobility Command Office of History

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AMCNS) - There's one hero that may not be
the biggest or fastest, but for 50 years, has born the U.S. standard as
a welcome projection of both American will and American compassion
throughout the world. In battle, this hero can pound the enemy from on
high with munitions, electronic jamming or information warfare
broadcasts. It can deliver forces to the fight, bring them a vast array
of supplies and carry them home, wounded or well, when their duty is
done. During the fight, it provides command and control, weather
reconnaissance, and even air refueling. But this warrior hero is also a
key presence in humanitarian and disaster relief operations at home and
abroad.

This hero is the legendary C-130 Hercules which has reached a remarkable
50-year milestone since its first flight on Aug. 23, 1954, from the
famous Lockheed "Skunkworks" in Burbank to Edwards Air Force Base,
Calif.

Gen. John W. Handy, commander of U.S. Transportation Command and Air
Mobility Command, said the familiar aircraft is as important today as
ever.

"As a career mobility pilot, I am convinced that the C-130 is one of the
greatest aircraft ever built. The 'Herc' has earned its place in history
through its enormous contributions to crisis response for 50 years.
With our C-130 fleet and the dedicated active duty, Air National Guard
and Air Force Reserve aircrews that fly them, we are a tremendous force
multiplier in the Global War on Terrorism."

With its first flight, a YC-130A prototype, tail # 53-3397, inaugurated
a half-century of continuous C-130 service to the Department of Defense.
Test pilot Stanley Beltz and copilot Roy Wimmer used only 855 feet to
make that first takeoff. Normally, an airplane with a gross weight of
100,000 pounds requires thousands of feet of runway. Mr. Beltz is said
to have quipped: "She's a real flying machine. I could land it
crossways on the runway if I had to."

Since that historic day, more than 2,200 C-130s in 70 variants to five
basic models have been produced, and 676 are in service with the Air
Force today. The Navy and Marine Corps fly C-130s, as well as the armed
forces of 66 other nations.

Testing and development of the new airlifter was rapid. Production
introduced new technology including high-strength aluminum alloy for the
wings and cargo floor and metal bonding and titanium alloys for the body
of the aircraft and flap skins. Another new feature was the "all-round"
vision flight deck.

The first C-130A became operational in December 1956, reporting for duty
with Tactical Air Command to replace the far less capable Fairchild
C-119 Flying boxcar. The C-130's four Allison turboprop engines
revolutionized aircraft performance, providing greater speed, range and
takeoff. With a 33,810-pound payload at the time, the Herc could carry
twice as much as the C-119. The C-130 could perform heavy equipment
airdrops as well as airland operations. It was well suited as a
tactical transport. Cargo loading was easier with the new aircraft's
rear-opening ramp instead of the side-door, steep ramp loading required
by the World War II vintage fleet.

In 1959, the Air Force completed its planned force of 12 C-130A
squadrons-six in TAC, three in Europe and three for the Far East.
Continuous improvement was the norm for the C-130 system. New external
fuel tanks allowed the aircraft to fight heavy winds in flights across
the ocean. The C-130B introduced more powerful engines and new
propellers, and added fuel capacity, and beefed up landing gear. A lone
C-130C, a modified "B", demonstrated short takeoffs and landings.
Twelve C-130Ds, modified from the original "A," became "Ski-130s,"
outfitted with ski landing gear to resupply Arctic expeditions. In
early 1960, an "E" model entered the operational fleet; an updated "H"
model followed in the 1970s. The "E" through "H" models are still in
service today, and work will begin in 2007 on converting those models to
meet the demands of modern aviation and streamline support through an
avionics modernization program. With avionics upgrades and some changes
to the engines, the number of basic C-130 models will be reduced to two,
the C-130AMP and the C-130J.

The newest C-130 in the inventory, the "J" model, entered the Air Force
inventory in February 1999, and since then, Lockheed Martin has
delivered 34 more "Js" to the Air Force. The basic design remains true
to the original, but adds 40 percent more range, flies 24 percent faster
than previous models, can take off on shorter runways and has greater
cargo and passenger capacity. Its new avionics will also allow for
better data capability and control and requires a crew of three rather
than five. The first active duty "J" entered the inventory this year,
and plans are to deploy the aircraft in combat by December.

Lt. Col. Mike Cassidy, chief of AMC's Operational Programming Division,
has 2,000 flying hours in the Herc, and almost 2,000 hours in other
airlifters. The former commander of the 37th Airlift Squadron at
Ramstein Air Base, Germany, said the C-130 is without a doubt a special
aircraft.

"Part of the attractiveness of the aircraft is you have to work the
airplane hard sometimes, and you have to know how to work with it," he
said. "The other unique part is the close relationship with the
'users,' such as the Southern European Task Force Lion Brigade (Vicenza,
Italy), since we did a preponderance of their airdrop missions. The
C-130 is all about the mission and the people who get that done
together."

One of the people who helped get C-130 missions off the ground is Master
Sgt. Albert "Mik" Mikolajczyk, a 23-year veteran maintainer, who's
worked with the several variations to the C-130 fleet. He's now
assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell AFB, Kan.,
maintaining KC-135 refuelers.

"No other aircraft can do what the C-130 can. Name the location, it's
been there," said Sergeant Mik. "The C-130 will be flying long after
other aircraft are in the 'boneyard' at Davis-Monthan (AFB, Ariz.), and
the C-130 will be there to pick up their aircrews and bring them back
home."

Sergeant Mik recalled an experience which speaks volumes. Recently
deployed to the United Arab Emirates, he needed to be aeromedically
evacuated. "It was an awesome feeling to carried aboard a 1963 'E'
model I had worked on during my early days assigned to Little Rock AFB
(Ark.)."

The C-130's combat record is an integral part of its distinguished
history. The aircraft quickly earned its reputation as a tough aircraft
for rough places. In the late 1950s, with Southeast Asia facing a
Communist take over, the Herc quickly became the armed services' premier
tactical airlifter. By late summer 1959, C-130 crews trained for Marine
parachute assault operations in case Laos was invaded, opening up South
Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand to communist takeover.

C-130s increasingly provided logistical support to the Army's remote
special operations camps, and the Herc proved itself with its ability to
land and takeoff on short, unpaved runways. The heroics of C-130 crews
flying Khe Sanh and An Loc missions are legendary. After the fall of
Saigon, and the end of the war, C-130s were part of the American airlift
armada, helping bring home 591 prisoners of war. A few C-130s also
served as AC-130 fixed-wing gunships, and the Air Weather Service flew
WC-130s as rainmakers over Laos, attempting to influence the seasonal
monsoon rains to Allied advantage. The Aerospace Rescue and Recovery
Service first used HC-130s for command and control of search and rescue
operations. And the Marine Corps flew the KC-130F, initially borrowing
two C-130As from the Air Force and modifying them for air refueling.
Those widely varying models remain in service.

And what a service the C-130 provides. From the first Gulf War through
the crisis in Kosovo to peacekeeping operations in Africa,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as humanitarian relief
operations at home and around the world, the resilient C-130 answers the
nation's call. Just this month, C-130s have airlifted several Afghan
battalions, national police, U.S. advisors and supplies into Shidand to
help Afghanistan's national government restore order to an area rife
with factional fighting. And in our own country, C-130s equipped with
Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems are deployed to help combat
wildfires in Western states, and WC-130s provided vital data as
hurricane hunters over the Caribbean and Florida, collecting information
for the National Hurricane Center as Hurricane Charley grew to a
dangerous Category 4 storm.

These special duties, along with the daily tasks of deploying, supplying
and redeploying joint service and allied forces throughout the world
will build upon the C-130's legacy of heroism as one of the premier,
multi-role aircraft in American history.


Sidebar: The versatile C-130

Name the mission, and the C-130 is probably up to the task. In addition
to general airlift, C-130 missions throughout the years have included:
* Aerial firefighting
* Aerial spraying
* Aeromedical evacuation
* Airborne early warning
* Air refueling
* Command and control
* Electronic warfare
* Gunship
* Humanitarian relief
* Maritime patrol
* Natural disaster relief
* Resupply to icebound Arctic and Antarctic
* Search and rescue
* Space and missile operations support
* Special operations support
* Test and evaluation
* VIP transport
* Weather reconnaissance


Employees share memories of the Herculean aircraft

By Lanorris Askew
Warner Robins Air Logistics Center

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - On Aug. 23, 1954, the first C-130 prototype
made its maiden flight from Burbank, Calif., to Edwards Air Force Base,
Calif. That one short journey has led to half a century of Herculean
efforts that the Robins' work force is proud to be a part of.

Keeping the mighty birds in the air with the sweat of their brows, the
men and women of the C-130 production branch here invest more than eight
to ten hours a day to the Air Force mission. They invest their heart and
soul.

"We take pride in getting them back to the customer," said Johnny Jones
C-130 production branch chief. "Our people work real hard at it. We work
a lot of overtime and we do whatever it takes to get the job done."

According to the Robins History Office, the responsibility for the C-130
was transferred to Robins Jan. 1, 1958. Though none of the original
mechanics and support staff remain, those who are celebrating the Herk's
50th birthday are no less attached to the aircraft.

Ken McGlamry, C-130 unprogramed depot level maintenance chief, said in
his 39 and a half years with the 130's he's become a big fan.

"It's the best airplane out here," he said. "It's been a real good plane
for the Air Force, and I'm real proud to be a part of the crews that
keep it flying."

Mr. McGlamry added that what makes the aircraft stand out is the fact
that no day's work is ever the same.

Mr. Jones agreed.

"Every C-130 is a little bit different," he said. "There are very few
that come in here and we say this is what we're going to do to them and
then they go back out. Especially on the older ones there is a lot of
what we call unpredictable work."

Even though the C-130 is full of the unexpected, it doesn't deter the
work force from doing their best.

Even when corrosion turns a three to four month visit into a year long
stay, they dig in and do their job.

"Not only do we have a versatile aircraft, we have to have a versatile
work force to get this type of work done," said Mr. Jones. "With aging
aircraft issues we find different problems every day. The mechanics
adapt and find ways to get the job done. The key to what we do is their
skill and versatility."

"Program depot level maintenance is our main job," said Mr. Jones. "One
of our number one customers is Air Force Special Operations Command and
we do modification to their aircraft as well as the other aircraft that
comes in here. Our goal is to keep the airplanes on schedule so we can
get them back to the war fighter. Anyone who watches the news these days
knows the special mission aircraft and cargo haulers we work are needed
in the fight."

Mr. Jones said when the aircraft arrive here they have been worked hard
and the war fighters are counting on them to get them back out on time
so they can get their mission accomplished.

The C-130 production branch services on average between 75 and 100
aircraft each year in Building 91, but the work was not always so
comfortable.

According to Connie Currie, C-130 planning supervisor, when she came to
the C-130s, they shared work space with the F-15s and the C-141s. Later
that space was lost and they worked the aircraft on the ramp. "It was so
hot in the summer that we would take an egg and actually fry it on the
wing," she said. "During the winter it got just as cold as it was hot.
When we got Building 91 in 1991 we were very happy."

A work force consisting of 800 people, who includes all mechanics,
supervisors and support people, keeps the mission going here. This group
of professionals is responsible for 11 different mission design series.

Keith Maden, aircraft overhaul foreman, said they also help with foreign
military sales.

"Aircraft that we no longer use we put them in the bone yard," he said.
"If the Air Force sells one to another country when they pull them out
we refurbish them and paint them up with their markings."

Tunisia, Turkey and Colombia are some of the most recent foreign
military sales jobs they've done.

Randall King is one of them. An aircraft electrician with the C-130s
since 1996, he also spent 20 years in the Air Force. He said he sees
this job as a way to a carry on his Air Force legacy.

"I know how important the work that we do is," he said. "Making these
airplanes and aircrews fly safely is one of the things I love about my
job."

Termetrus Shepherd who has been a sheet metal mechanic for the past 22
years is another member of the large force. She said her job is like
that of an auto body mechanic except it's done on airplanes.

"We handle the structural part of the C-130," she said. "It's a good
feeling knowing that what ever part you play no matter how small it is
contributes to the larger war fighting effort and the productivity of
the weapon system."

She said during her tenure here she has enjoyed most the family type
atmosphere of the C-130 crews.

"There is a real sense of family here. If we lose someone to a swing
shift it's like losing a family member."

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