I am now retired from corporate flying and am rated 80% disabled and unemployable by the VA.
I have also been known to do some free-lance writing for magazines such as VIETNAM, WORLD WAR II and WW II HISTORY and am the author of a book about the C-130 troop carrier/tactical airlift mission and a Vietnam war novel, THE CAVE. My books are available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other sellers. For details and to order autographed copies, go to www.sammcgowan.com/books.html.
Other Comments:
In 2006 I helped found the Troop Carrier/Tactical Airlift Assocation and served as the secretary until 2017. www.troopcarrier.org
464th OMS, 779th TCS, Pope 35th TCS, Naha 29th, 773rd TAS, Clark
Image
C-130 Hercules Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
The C-130 series began as a 1951 requirement for a military transport with Short Take-Off and Landing capabilities. The series was born as the YC-130 and performed well in the latter part of 1954 with its Allison three-bladed turboprop engines. With successes encountered throughout the war in Vietnam and furthermore in peacetime, the C-130 Hercules spawned a plethora of variants that would include special forces insertion, arctic patrol, meteorological research, communications, close-support and modernized variants of the base transport.
Model Lockheed C-130H Hercules Length 97.77 ft | 29.80 m Width 132.55 ft | 40.40 m Height 37.40 ft | 11.40 m Engine(s) 4 x Allison T56-A-15LFE turboprop engines generating 4,508hp each. Empty Weight 76,505 lbs | 34,702 kg MTOW 175,003 lbs | 79,380 kg Max Speed 386 mph | 621 km/h | 335 kts Max Range 2,237 miles | 3,600 km Ceiling 33,005 ft | 10,060 m | 6.3 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 0 Armament None. Internal payload of up to 42,637lbs of supplies, personnel and vehicles. Accommodations 4 + 92 Operators Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America among others (about 60 in all).
