C-130 Aircraft Database

First C-130 Prototype

First C-130 prototype. Constructed at Burbank California. First flight was on August 23rd, 1954.

AC-130 Prototype

Prototype for the AC-130A but the 'AC' part was never designated. Modifications were done at Wright-Patterson AFB by Aeronautical Systems Division during March and April of 1967. Testing was then done in mid 1967 at Eglin AFB, Florida. Starting September 21, 1967 the aircraft did a 3 month combat deployment to test the aircrafts capability in a real combat environment and operated out of Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam. Often carried tail number 0-41626.

Last Operational USAF C-130A

Last operational flight of a USAF C-130A was on October 3, 2003 at Eglin AFB, Florida.

First public display of a C-130 in Europe.

First public display of a C-130 in Europe at Le Bourget, Paris for the first public appearance of the Hercules in Europe on May 28, 1957.

Early air refuelling testing

On loan from the USAF to the USMC for testing air refuelling with the C-130 in 1957 and 1958.

First C-130B

This was the first C-130B built.

Test aircraft for US Army C-130C.

Modified for trails for boundary layer control for the US Army to be C-130C with Short takeoff and landing capability. First flight was on February 8, 2014. Was fitted with a boundary layer air control system that consisted of a wider rudder, single-hinged flaps instead of the standard Fowler flaps, and two Allison YT56-A-6 jet engines under the outer wings. Bleed air from the jets was blown over the flaps and rudder to enhance lift and controllability. Flown for twenty-three hours before the Army lost interest.

Repaired after 17 years buried in snow.

Force landed at Care Four, Antarctica after two JATO bottle came off and struck the aircraft. The ten man crew were uninjured but had to live in survival shelters for 80 hours until the weather improve enough to allow a rescue. It had been buried in the snow for 17 years before repairs began.

First C-130E

First C-130E built. Also has been stated as the last C130E to be retired by the USAF and landed at Edwards AFB, California on May 2, 2012. The retirement of the last C-130E is not complety true since the USAF is still flying some, but it was the last for the AMC. The aircraft was eventually put on display at the AFFTC museum.

First C-130H

First C-130H built was an HC-130H. Ultimately HC-130H 64-14853 was delivered first. What was the first squadron assignment at Edwards AFB?

Max lift record

Operated at Edwards AFB, California for DC-130 tests. During it's time there it had a lift record with a metalic finish. Max external stores 40,000 lb

Airborne Early Warning prototype

Modified to EC-130V with E-2C radome. Made first flight on July 31, 1991.

#2000

Hercules number 2000 built operated first by the 165th Airlift Squadron.

Set a record with another AC-130U and establised the longest sustained C-130 flight with a 36hr non-stop 8,000 mile flight from Hulburt Field to Taegu Air Base, South Korea.

First C-130J

First USAF C-130J built. Rolled out on October 20, 1995 and had first flight on June 6, 1996. Was contracted under serial 94-3026 as a C-130H but was renumbered 94-8151 before delivered.