Identifying this C-130

[md11spotter]

Hello there folks, I hope you are all well. While in Afghanistan, I saw a all white C-130 with tail number 27269. Every search I do I always come empty handed. Anybody out there might know about this bird?

Thanks in advance!

[wbh]

The plane is an L-100 or a C-130H-30, later than LAC 4579

[h-bomb]

Looks like a Tepper Aviation bird. They had 4 of these a few years ago. It may be a leased aircraft as all the airframes they own have are N regenerated airframes.

http://www.airliners.net/search?airline ... lay=detail

Known aircraft operated by Tepper:
N2731G (previously N2189M)
N2679C (previously N8183J)
N3796B (previously N4557C)
N3867X

[wbh]

Tepper , now Gulf Air , planes all have a blue accent stripe running front to rear. The "tail no ." may be bogus & usually all white denotes a desire to be not recognisable.I have flown all the Tepper planes at onetime or another.

[h-bomb]

Tepper , now Gulf Air , planes all have a blue accent stripe running front to rear. The "tail no ." may be bogus & usually all white denotes a desire to be not recognisable.I have flown all the Tepper planes at onetime or another.

When did that happen? It is not like we have pictured of Topper birds from 2013 to 2016 that do not have the blue stripe on them? The used to from 2004 to 2011, they even had an airframe with the bottom all blue back in the 2000's.

If you visit http://www.gulfairgroup.com/ they show the aircraft as all white?

[wbh]

Teppers have been all white , all pale blue or all light gray at one time or another. the last time I saw them in 2014 they all had an accent stripe. They paint them per the mission & and can now get painted at L-3 Crestview. LAC 4582 was originally Gabon TRKKA , I instructed in it then and since flown annual check rides in it as N2731G

[pilotdan2]

I have to agree with wbh username that in my opinion is C-130H-30. I use to work for as a mechanic( car mechanic) in Afganistan and I saw this planes

[wbh]

The VOR antenna on the Vertical Fin is usually an indicator of Civil Herks. The Military had a flush VOR antenna in that same location.

[mekong68]

Not necessary true regarding the VOR. On E models and early Hs (I think) the VOR was flush mounted (located inside a big box that was pushed into the vertical from the right side to the left and then secured on both sides with screws). I'm not sure when but at some point they disconnected the system within the VOR antenna box and mounted blade antennas on both sides of the vertical (they are actually attached to the original VOR antenna box), even new production military Js have the exterior mounted VOR blade antennas.

[wbh]

True statement mekong , The later H's & J's did have the blade antenna . I remembered retrofitting the old NAVY LC-130R's for the ANG when they were converted to USAF configuration ( ski -planes ) ( right before I retired ). LAC 3035 ,my project , Glass cockpit plus extra good Electrical System , I had the commercial VOR antenna installed , easy job.

[wbh]

FY '74 H's had flush antenna for VOR I flew most of them & PDM'ed a bunch .I think that the "blade/bullhorn "VOR antennae were associated with Collins Radio avionics suites (except for NAVY ). I think we have a conversation going , anyone else want to add more info , please do. wbh

[hehe]

This is a civilian L-100 that is contracted by government agencies.

Easiest way to tell is lack of paratroop doors and no lower kick windows in flightdeck.

Civilian planes can be modded however they want so identifying by Avionics equipment is useless.

[mekong68]

This is a civilian L-100 that is contracted by government agencies.

Easiest way to tell is lack of paratroop doors and no lower kick windows in flightdeck.

Civilian planes can be modded however they want so identifying by Avionics equipment is useless.

Good point, forgot about those (and other things) missing on the LM-100s...they are also missing on the LM-100Js, although the first LM-100J off the line (at the Paris Air Show now) does have troop doors.

[wbh]

To have paratroop doors or not have paratroop doors was a product of the Carter Era. It seems that Brother Jimmy did not want to sell "weapons " to certain nations . The lack of paratroop doors made the L-100-30 a "non weapon". This compromise allowed Lockheed to sell more Civil Herks abroad. All of that has gone by the boards now and all foreign operators seem to want the capability to drop Troopers. Gabon sold 4582 ,TRKKA , to Tepper for that very reason & bought a L-100-20 which had paratroop doors.There is a kit that can be purchased from Lockheed , but I'm told that it is very expensive & I know labor intensive . I designed such a mod before I found out that Lockheed had beat me to it. I think that the customer was trying to beat their price . The mod remains the same regardless , there is only one way .On USAF H's the FY 78 series had Collins avionics and that may be where the "bullhorn" antenna kicked in for the USAF , I flew a few of them but never took note of the VOR Antenna , I was enjoying the great avionics.

[dannyboy12]

I can see you know a lot of about planes. I'm trying became a plane mechanic. next year I'm going to college and I want to be a part of this subject.