Celebrating 60 Years of Hercules Flight
Few aircraft in history have flown for six decades. On Aug. 23, our C-130 Hercules will join that exclusive club, as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of its first flight.
The C-130’s story is nothing short of astounding: millions of flight hours; more than 2,400 aircraft delivered to date (and counting); operations out of 70 nations. In 1951, the U.S. Air Force issued a request for proposal for a rugged, medium-sized freighter that could land on unprepared air strips, and haul troops and supplies. Lockheed engineers submitted a 107-page proposal in April 1951 and in July 1951, Lockheed was named the winner of the competition for the aircraft that became the C-130 Hercules.
Two years later on Aug. 23, 1954, the first C-130 – the YC-130 (aircraft 1001) – took to the skies over California and the Hercules has been flying ever since. Hercules lead engineer Willis Hawkins said the C-130 was the “a plane we got exactly right.”
C-130A First Flight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGxuu1XpbAA
The latest model, C-130J and C-130J-30 stretch adds 15 feet in length
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_26xtvv_-8
C-130J-30, Air Show Demonstration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyjK0zNs9oE
C-130J-30 landing on a beach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJrioysPiG0
USMC KC-130J Harvest Hawk firing Hellfire Missiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIodcKSIARU
Few aircraft in history have flown for six decades. On Aug. 23, our C-130 Hercules will join that exclusive club, as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of its first flight.
The C-130’s story is nothing short of astounding: millions of flight hours; more than 2,400 aircraft delivered to date (and counting); operations out of 70 nations. In 1951, the U.S. Air Force issued a request for proposal for a rugged, medium-sized freighter that could land on unprepared air strips, and haul troops and supplies. Lockheed engineers submitted a 107-page proposal in April 1951 and in July 1951, Lockheed was named the winner of the competition for the aircraft that became the C-130 Hercules.
Two years later on Aug. 23, 1954, the first C-130 – the YC-130 (aircraft 1001) – took to the skies over California and the Hercules has been flying ever since. Hercules lead engineer Willis Hawkins said the C-130 was the “a plane we got exactly right.”
C-130A First Flight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGxuu1XpbAA
The latest model, C-130J and C-130J-30 stretch adds 15 feet in length
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_26xtvv_-8
C-130J-30, Air Show Demonstration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyjK0zNs9oE
C-130J-30 landing on a beach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJrioysPiG0
USMC KC-130J Harvest Hawk firing Hellfire Missiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIodcKSIARU
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