Two old Friends meet

RV8iator · #1 07-01-2014, 10:57 AM

I was recently at the Mitchell Field in Milwaukee killing some time waiting for the weather to lift and got to talking to the crew of this C-130. We reminisced about old times and I told them I used to fly B models and asked if I could get some pictures of my new ride and my old ride together.

They were glad to accommodate but first how about getting reacquainted with the old girl. I flew these for a long time and used to know every knob and switch.. boy how the memories came back.

Then we went outside and pushed 8JL over under the Herk. What a difference in size when you get them this close together.

Then we nestled 8JL up close and personal under the wing, almost looked like another external tank, except with a prop. It was wonderful for me to get to look back into yesteryear and remember all the fond times I had in that airplane. It literally took me all over the world.

Thanks to the men and women who are soldiering on protecting our country. Thanks to the guys who allowed me to relive a bit of it and introduce two very dear friends.

Paul K · #2 07-01-2014, 11:32 AM

She looks great! Both of them.

mannanj · #3 07-01-2014, 07:14 PM

Jerry; I have about 600 hrs in B models sitting on the tailgate with the ramp and door open doing photo work. We were anywhere between 20,000 ft down to 5,000ft. Google "Project Corona"

Pat Hatch · #4 07-01-2014, 07:53 PM

Great pictures, Jerry!

That sure looks like the old E model that I used to fly, but it probably isn't. I notice a lot of equipment on the outside that I don't recognize, but the cockpit looks like it hasn't changed much at all. Sure brings back a lot of memories, I think I've wanted to do the same thing for a long time and never got the opportunity. So these photos are really poignant!

It's been fun walking up to the C-130 crews at fly-ins and chatting with them over the years. I'm always blown away by how young they look. They were probably blown away by how old I am!

Great to see the old birds flying today some 60 years after they first flew. Has to be some kind of record.

Thanks for posting this!

Johnnybgoode · #5 07-01-2014, 08:46 PM

I too have several thousand hours in E's, H-2's and for the last 10 years, H-3's. Love my Herks and your plane looks right at home there in the shadow of the old Girl.
Thanks for sharing!
Patrick

PeteP · #6 07-03-2014, 08:54 AM

I have almost 10,000 Hrs in E's and a little in B's. Looks a lot like a late E with some recent enhancments since I left the old girl in the 80's. God, I actually miss the "SST" Short Stubby Transport and the Clong Hopper Airline!

zspivey · #7 07-03-2014, 09:02 AM

Was a navigator on E models at CCK then Clark from 1973 until 1975. Participated in the evacuation of Saigon. Not proud of our countries abandoning her allies but am proud of the great guys with whom I served.
C-130 is a go anywhere do anything airplane. All RV's share that same characteristic.

jimbower · #8 07-03-2014, 01:05 PM

I've only flown on a Herc one time (from Rota Spain to Naples Italy), but it was fun. I like transports in general and -130s in particular.

Jim Bower
RV-6A N143DJ

ifixf15 · #9 07-03-2014, 06:52 PM

Looks like the H-models finally got rid of the AN/APN-59 Radar and installed an actual FMS. And I don't see the control head for the AN/APN-1 ADF either. (BTW the ARN-1 in the E's was the same ADF my Grandfather used to navigate his C-47 over North Africa and most of Western Europe).

RV8iator · #10 07-03-2014, 07:05 PM

The crew chief told me the ADIs were getting almost possible to replace due to high costs. Wouldn't surprise me to see a bunch more glass in these older birds.