Lockheed WC-130H 64-14866

[Ken]

Don't some of the WC-130s lack the dual rail system for the standard cargo pallet? One of the recent questionable moves in the BRAC is to retire the San Juan E-models and replace with WC-130s ... not so good for theatre airlift.

[ffuries]

Ken I beleive you are right on that note. I seem to remember something about that when I was working with the 815th AS, 403rd AW which the 53rd WRS is assigned to.

[APG85]

HC-130H's were not drilled for dual rails. That was not part of their mission so there was no need to do it. When these planes were later converted to WC-130H's, they still didn't require dual rails. Eventually, when they went on to become quasi trash haulers, many of them were drilled. I saw this done at Keesler in the early 90's in some of the WC-130H's that were used as slicks. A jig was borrowed from Robins to do it. "Measure twice, cut (drill) once"...

[CAPFlyer]

I believe the aircraft still MDS'd as a WC-130H like this also still retain the drop tube equipment in the aft door with hatches (not patched over) in case they wish to re-install some or all of the weather equipment (which is modular and installed in the WC-130J's now).

This is one of the reason many of the EC- and RC-135s were never converted in a way that kept them from going back to tankers or from being unable to be turned back into an EC- or RC- after "demodification".

[TROJANII]

Float test?

[ffuries]

Float test?

Nope, a ditching, story is it's the only known successful open ocean ditching of a C-130, and that the navigator was killed by the General/Pilot for the navigational error.

C-130B 60-5450 (c/n 282-3572) to Canadian Forces as 10301. Returned to Lockheed in mid 1960s. Registered as N4652 for ferry purposes. To Colombian AF in Jan 1969 as FAC 1003. W/O Oct 16, 1982 when ditched in Atlantic Ocean after running out of fuel enroute Azores-Bermuda due to navigation system failure. Aircraft remained afloat for two days. 5 of 13 aboard killed.