23 August 2014 will mark the 60th Anniversary of our mighty C-130 Hercules. Lockheed says they have a website to collect your Herk stories. I propose that if anyone has any Herk stories, post a few of them here. 10% Rule in effect unless your story starts with "This ain't no shit."

Link to story with more links: C-130 Anniversary

If someone doesn't like a story, too bad, piss off and go hate elsewhere.

Out

Edit, cause I ain't known for spellin months right.

Edited August 22, 201411 yr by disgruntledemployee

My grandfather worked on the fuselage of the first C-130 in Burbank then moved to Marietta when production was transferred where he continued working with C-130s until he retired. My dad joined him at Lockheed in 1980 and works on C-130 support to this day. Naturally, I became a space ops officer...

But long live the Herc! It's absolutely one of the best aircraft to ever fly.

Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!

This ain't no shit. I've been around the Herc my entire life. My dad started flying 130s in 1976. He was a career officer and served for 28 years. He was the commander of the 39th while the squadron was at Pope and later served as the Commandant of CADS as it stood up in the mid 90s. I've seen the Herc in good times and bad. I was in the crowd on July 1st, 1987 when one crashed performing a LAPES airdrop at Fort Bragg. I also witnessed green ramp during some of its busiest years. I've seen the Herc do it all. I'm now in the Arkansas Guard. I've got 4000 hours in Es and Hs and teach here in the FTU. The Herc has taken me to 30 countries and 46 states in just over 11 years. She's never failed me and she never failed my dad. Happy B day to the War Horse and thanks for the memories. Except for the hangovers. Those have sucked.

Well this ain't no shit either. Seriously, I was only on the Herk for 8 years/2100 hours but it was the very best 8 years of my life. Lots of fond memories with some of the very best people in the world doing the absolute coolest F'ing enlisted job in the entire military. Thanks for all the good times.

Proud to say I am honey bucket free.

Proud to say I am honey bucket free.

Wish I could say the same. Eight years in the Herk, stuck on staff, but going back to the Old Girl shortly. I've gotten to do a lot of cool shit in this airplane, more than I ever imagined I would do. Happy Birthday Old Girl, you're still dead sexy!

I miss the Herk tremendously-damn mission change!! I look out my office window every morning to an empty flight line and it just turns my stomach. Almost 20 yrs in the plane so it is hard to let go, but we have to move on. Absolute thrill to fly low-level and airdrop. Too many stories to even begin, but they all usually revolve around the cameraderie of the crew. My 3yr old daughter yells "Herk" every time she sees one. Gotta start them early.

Proud to say I am honey bucket free.

2800hrs and thus far I too can say the same. Thank God for Imodium and the new and improved Imodium chewables.

To Lockheed for making her

To those who fly her

And to those who have lived and died by her...here's to you

21 years and 6500 hours, never emtied my bucket of luck. Consider myself very fortunate.

:beer: to Willis Hawkins and the awesome folks I had the privilege of flying with on the Herk.

Proud to say I am the herk's newest aircraft commander. Here is to being able to actually fly assaults and hopefully land in the zone, saying gear up instead of doing it, not having to buy the first round, not having to take the fat chick, and keeping loadmasters out of Thai prisons.

Proud to say I am honey bucket free.

I was too...until I flew a 21.3. That's right, 21.3...with a basic crew. That aint no shit either.

Proud to say I am the herk's newest aircraft commander. Here is to being able to actually fly assaults and hopefully land in the zone, saying gear up instead of doing it, not having to buy the first round, not having to take the fat chick, and keeping loadmasters out of Thai prisons.

Congrats. The AC should always buy the first round.

Congrats. The AC should always buy the first round.

ALWAYS.

A relative newbie at 3yrs/1200 hrs. The herk has taken me to some if the best and most of worst places this world has to offer. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Cheers to herk drivin'!

Congrats. The AC should always buy the first round.

The E's should always buy the first round. The first 6 rounds come out of the cooler that I bring with me on every TDY. That first round is handed out in the "U drive it" while we drive around for 4 hours because the Nav can't find the hotel.

The AC should always buy the first round at the bar/restaurant.

I was too...until I flew a 21.3. That's right, 21.3...with a basic crew. That aint no shit either.

Edited August 21, 201411 yr by jrizzell

Never let the pilot drive the van. Never let the Nav have the map in the van. Engineer gets the map and one of the Loads gets the wheel. What are you, new?

"Just put her in mech gov and we'll monitor the rpms, pilot."

"Eng, we're still in parking. Are you drunk?"

Speeder springs and flyweights.

So what's the back story....I thought my 11.3 was long

23 April 2014 will mark the 60th Anniversary of our mighty C-130 Hercules

Isn't it tomorrow instead of four months ago?

So what's the back story....I thought my 11.3 was long

U-Boat going over to kick off the party back in Oct, 2001. Spain to Oman, the long way (Red Sea Route), 4 x ARs. Trust me, you've never burned out a turbine in a -130 until you've burned one out trying to keep up with the three hole mothership.

Isn't it tomorrow instead of four months ago?

Fixed

We got our assignments last night here at Vance; C-130J to Little Rock for me and I couldn't be more pumped!

I know how it feels Spoo, KHRT to LIPA. However, we did it in an H at 10,000 ft, 1010 and 215 it took forever!