C-130 pictures

This thread honors Herkdriver's ride. We jab each other back and forth about the airframes we were assigned, but I will come out (so to speak) and say the Hercules is just a fabulous aircraft. Here is the AC-130 winning hearts and minds over some pitiful country:

 

People often confuse our vapor trails for deadly chem trails created to harm the American people, but it is easy to differentiate between vapor/chem trails from dangerous airframes and the C-130's rainbowtrails designed to make everyone happy.

 

Your in-flight movie is Happy Feet:

 

I would've been happy with a HUD.

That must be J model.

 

I suppose this is Gov's idea of in-flight entertainment



Little known facts about Up on the Governor...

She washed out of C-130 training...not used to landing without
8,000' of runway.

 

Herkdriver was part of an Air Force experiment to turn the C-130 into a combat aircraft. Here is a picture of him trying to BFM the Herk:



Like any airlift pilot, flying inverted caused him to tumble his gyros and lose all situational awareness. Luckily the aircraft is very slow moving and he was able to recover in twenty minutes.

 

They make (made) the C-17 Globemaster around the corner from me. I lurve to watch them land.

 

Then there are the waist gunners on the AC-130s.

 

Nice eyes.

All the better to see you with before she shoots you out of the sky.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H1uvmdAPoM&feature=related"]YouTube - ‪World's Deadliest Aircraft - AC130 Part 1‬‏[/ame]

 

Having jumped out of both the C-130 and C-17, I'll take the C-17 any day. The (*)(*)(*)(*) thing is like a Cadillac compared to the 130.

 

Regardless of the Herk bashing y'all are so fond of...*rolls eyes*

Clearly the Air Force had future C-130 drivers in mind, when they created this sign
at Columbus AFB.



Fighters eventually fade into the oblivion of the sun baked boneyard...but the Herk lives on.

 

My MOS in the Army. Redeye heat-seeking guided missile. You can fly into the clouds, but I'll find you.
11E20R6

 

Here is an AD C-130 pilot proudly displaying his chalk nose art:

 

No you won't.

 

Herkdriver wonders if this is enough ice to keep the bar stocked at the O-Club...

 

and another thing...
in this Heavy v. Fighter debate

It's not just about aviating, navigating and communicating.

CRM (Crew Resource Management) skills.

Seriously, if all of your time is in a single seat aircraft...
CRM is non-existent; which may explain Up on the Governors'
sub-par "people" skills.

 

You are starting to get defensive and personal, so I will disengage in hopes that you will be in a better mood later. I will make fun of myself in pictures to help you get there in a little bit.

 

Of course, because you never get personal.

 

Here:



If that does not bring a smile to your face, then I am not a good artist.

 

Actually the white rocket is one plane I regret having missed out on
getting any stick time, not having tracked fighter/bomber.

I've heard with a propulsion upgrade, it will remain in the SUPT/ENJJPT inventory
for another 30 years. A credit to the venerable Talon. USAF seems to be in no rush
to replace it, like they did with the Tweet.

 

Probably not. I wouldn't even know which end to point at the aircraft anymore.

 

She's a door gunner for an HH-60G Pave Hawk, not an AC-130.

 

Good find!

I dug around a little and came up with this -- "Airman Vanessa Dobos of the 58th Training Squadron poses with a Gatling gun at Kirtland Air Force base in New Mexico August 7, 2002. Dobos is to become the first woman aerial gunner in the USAF, with an assignment to a search and rescue Pave Hawk helicopter, when she graduates from technical training in a few weeks, performing a combat duty that was formerly closed to women."

So it seems that the picture is of her posing in an AC-130 at Kirtland, but she's actually a Pave Hawk door gunner, hence the confusion.

When I read the caption underneath the picture, I thought it said she disliked food tray stoppages, and I was thought to myself "Man, those Air Force people have got it made!"

I think I need new glasses...

 

Air Force doesn't like food tray stoppages either.
We call them "dining facilities" or DFAC.

From a joint base in Balad, Iraq here's the DFAC.



and of course the desserts...