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The Last Hercules: The 911th Airlift Wing bids farewell to the final C-130H
December 9, 2024 (by
MSgt. Jeffrey Grossi) -
The 911th Airlift Wing bid farewell to tail number #87-9282, the last of its remaining C-130H Hercules aircraft, on December 3rd, 2024, at Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station. The moment emphasized the wing's completed transition to a C-17 Globemaster III mission in 2017, soundly punctuating a decades-long chapter as a tactical airlift wing.
"The transition to C-17s was good for the community and It's good for the base," said Master Sergeant Matthew Stephens, the 911th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's Airframe, Powerplant General section chief. "But you never forget your first plane."
The wing began phasing out its C-130 fleet in the mid-2010s, to meet evolving mission requirements. The C-130H Hercules, known for its ability to operate from austere airstrips and perform low-level tactical airlift missions, had been a cornerstone of the wing's operations since its arrival in 1987.
It was bittersweet to see her go, Stephens said. While the new generation of crew chiefs at Pittsburgh IAP ARS is 7 years deep into a new chapter of Globemaster III maintenance, members of the old guard, like Stephens, can't help but reminisce about keeping a Herc's 4 turbo-prop engines cranking at 4,591 prop shaft horsepower every time they see one on the flight line.
The Hercules has been a workhorse for the Air Force since its introduction in the 1950s, earning a reputation for its versatility in tactical airlift, humanitarian assistance, and aeromedical evacuation missions. At the 911th Airlift Wing, the C-130H model supported critical national and international operations, including disaster relief, military supply transport, and medical evacuations.
During its operational years at the 911th Airlift Wing, 79282 played a significant role in both training and deployment missions, accumulating 12,143.7 flight hours. It also supported local outreach efforts, such as its participation in the 2017 Wings Over Pittsburgh Air Show, showcasing its capabilities, and those of Pittsburgh's 758th Airlift Squadron, to the public.
Stephens says he still favours the maintenance of the Hercules aircraft in comparison to a Globemaster III due to its mechanically driven nature when compared to the C-17's analysis through software and computer knowledge.
"If you had an engine issue, there was nothing to tell you what was wrong," said Stephens. "The aircrew would come back and tell you what happened. We would be on the flightline running engine tests for sometimes hours at a time, trying to get it to duplicate. If a C-17 has a problem with the engine. We have computers that tell us almost immediately, ‘Hey, this is what's wrong.'"
In 2017, a critical inspection of tail 79282 revealed a crack in the left-wing flap box. With repair costs estimated at least $500,000, the aircraft was deemed "hard broke" or unfit for service and sat idle while plans for its disposition were developed. Discussions ranged from creating a static display on base to transferring the aircraft to other National Guard units, but logistical challenges delayed its final fate.
Stephens recalled plans about a low-level flight from Pittsburgh to the "boneyard," but the day they found that crack, Stephens knew the aircraft would never fly again, especially with the C-130s on their way out the door.
Others had plans to make the forever grounded bird a static aircraft at various locations on the base, but with a hefty price tag and a month's worth of main hours, construction, logistical planning, and environmental concerns, it just wasn't in the cards.
The disassembly started in October of 2024, beginning with the secure removal of hazardous materials and the detachment of its propellers, engines, wings and vertical tail from the aircraft's fuselage. While Pittsburgh IAP ARS plans to repurpose the tail, featuring its distinctive black-and-yellow steel beam tail flash, the fuselage was transported to Camp Atterbury, Indiana. There, it will serve as a static training aid for the Indiana Army National Guard, supporting exercises that enhance readiness for National Guard, Reserve, and joint forces.
The departure of the final Hercules from the 911th Airlift Wing closes a chapter of mission success and adaptability. While the wing now focuses on the strategic airlift capabilities of the C-17 Globemaster III, the legacy of the C-130 remains an integral part of its history.
USAF C-130H #87-9282 once assigned to the 911th AW is loaded onto a trailer, on December 3, 2024, at Pittsburgh International Airport - ARB. After sitting idle since 2017, this aircraft is slated to be used as static training aid for the Indiana Army National Guard. [USAF photo by MSgt. Jeffrey Grossi]
The wing began phasing out its C-130 fleet in the mid-2010s, to meet evolving mission requirements. The C-130H Hercules, known for its ability to operate from austere airstrips and perform low-level tactical airlift missions, had been a cornerstone of the wing's operations since its arrival in 1987.
It was bittersweet to see her go, Stephens said. While the new generation of crew chiefs at Pittsburgh IAP ARS is 7 years deep into a new chapter of Globemaster III maintenance, members of the old guard, like Stephens, can't help but reminisce about keeping a Herc's 4 turbo-prop engines cranking at 4,591 prop shaft horsepower every time they see one on the flight line.
The Hercules has been a workhorse for the Air Force since its introduction in the 1950s, earning a reputation for its versatility in tactical airlift, humanitarian assistance, and aeromedical evacuation missions. At the 911th Airlift Wing, the C-130H model supported critical national and international operations, including disaster relief, military supply transport, and medical evacuations.
During its operational years at the 911th Airlift Wing, 79282 played a significant role in both training and deployment missions, accumulating 12,143.7 flight hours. It also supported local outreach efforts, such as its participation in the 2017 Wings Over Pittsburgh Air Show, showcasing its capabilities, and those of Pittsburgh's 758th Airlift Squadron, to the public.
Stephens says he still favours the maintenance of the Hercules aircraft in comparison to a Globemaster III due to its mechanically driven nature when compared to the C-17's analysis through software and computer knowledge.
"If you had an engine issue, there was nothing to tell you what was wrong," said Stephens. "The aircrew would come back and tell you what happened. We would be on the flightline running engine tests for sometimes hours at a time, trying to get it to duplicate. If a C-17 has a problem with the engine. We have computers that tell us almost immediately, ‘Hey, this is what's wrong.'"
In 2017, a critical inspection of tail 79282 revealed a crack in the left-wing flap box. With repair costs estimated at least $500,000, the aircraft was deemed "hard broke" or unfit for service and sat idle while plans for its disposition were developed. Discussions ranged from creating a static display on base to transferring the aircraft to other National Guard units, but logistical challenges delayed its final fate.
Stephens recalled plans about a low-level flight from Pittsburgh to the "boneyard," but the day they found that crack, Stephens knew the aircraft would never fly again, especially with the C-130s on their way out the door.
Others had plans to make the forever grounded bird a static aircraft at various locations on the base, but with a hefty price tag and a month's worth of main hours, construction, logistical planning, and environmental concerns, it just wasn't in the cards.
The disassembly started in October of 2024, beginning with the secure removal of hazardous materials and the detachment of its propellers, engines, wings and vertical tail from the aircraft's fuselage. While Pittsburgh IAP ARS plans to repurpose the tail, featuring its distinctive black-and-yellow steel beam tail flash, the fuselage was transported to Camp Atterbury, Indiana. There, it will serve as a static training aid for the Indiana Army National Guard, supporting exercises that enhance readiness for National Guard, Reserve, and joint forces.
The departure of the final Hercules from the 911th Airlift Wing closes a chapter of mission success and adaptability. While the wing now focuses on the strategic airlift capabilities of the C-17 Globemaster III, the legacy of the C-130 remains an integral part of its history.
Courtesy of 911th Airlift Wing
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Additional images:
Contractor uses a boom crane to transport the vertical tail from a Lockheed-Martin C-130H #87-9282 once assigned to the 911th AW, on October 10, 2024, at Pittsburgh International Airport - ARB. During its operational years at the 911th AW, tail number #79282 played a significant role in both training and deployment missions, accumulating 12,143.7 flight hours. [USAF photo by MSgt. Jeffrey Grossi]
USAF C-130H Hercules #87-9282 once assigned to the 911th AW, is transported from Pittsburgh International Airport - ARB to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, on December 3, 2024. It will serve as a static training aid for the Indiana Army National Guard. [USAF photo by MSgt. Jeffrey Grossi]