C-130 Hercules News

March 3, 2016 (by A1C Christopher Morales) - Personnel from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson relocated the static C-130 Hercules from Heritage Park to Hangar 21 for refurbishment on February 27.
Personnel from the Alaska Air National Guard, 3rd Wing, 673d Civil Engineer Group and contractors from General Communications Inc. worked together to prep, lift and tow the 76,000-pound C-130.

The aircraft is scheduled to be refurbished; sanded down and painted gray for April.

“This is important for the families of people that have flown these aircraft or even the pilots themselves,” said Tech. Sgt. Scott Holman, 3rd Maintenance Squadron C-130 heritage move lead. “It really shows the heritage and the little bit of pride in what we do.”

This aircraft has been to Vietnam and last flew in 2004 with almost 27,000 hours in total flight. Since 2005, it has been static in Heritage Park.

“This is one of the best air-lift aircraft the Air Force ever had,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Stanley Montgomery, 176th Wing Alaska Air National Guard crash recovery response specialist. “We still fly them, so that should tell you something.”

“It does a wide variety of missions that no other air-lift aircraft can do,” Montgomery said.

C-130s have successfully completed are airborne insertions, aerial refueling, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, search and rescue, and transportation of supply and troops.

“[We] - people in the Air Force - see this all the time, [but] for people who’ve never seen it, we don’t want to show them a sub-standard C-130,” Montgomery said. “Let’s give them something good to look at.”