Blue Angel's Fat Albert, C-130T aircraft is retiring

PENSACOLA , Fla. (WEAR-TV) — The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are bidding farewell to their C-130T aircraft.

The Blue Angels announced on Wednesday the aircraft known as Fat Albert is officially retiring.

The Navy says Fat Albert has served the Blue Angels for 17-years and flown more than 30,000 hours in support of their missions.

According to the U.S. Navy the current airframe, BUNO 164763, has been with the team since 2002 and was the last C-130 to conduct a jet-assisted take-off (JATO).

The Navy says their team will be transported via Fleet-provided logistics until a permanent replacement aircraft is identified.

Officials told Channel 3 News Fat Albert "will enjoy her retirement as a ground-based training aid in Fort Worth, Texas."

https://weartv.com/news/local/blue-ange ... s-retiring

to be a ground trainer no less, not a static or sitting in a museum...

Wasn't a British J model purchased to replace this a/c?

Wasn't a British J model purchased to replace this a/c?

Yes one was purchased from RAF to assume roles as Fat Albert...going through transformation now.

The intent to buy from the Brits was announced a while back, Actual purchase was last Thursday, the 13th. https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode ... e&_cview=0

24 June 2019
Patuxent River, Md. - - The Navy has announced the award of the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron’s new “Fat Albert,” the Blue Angels’ logistics cargo plane.

Scheduled for delivery in spring 2020, the $29.7 million contract was awarded to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (UK MOD) for a divested C-130J Super Hercules. Cost savings associated with acquisition of the used aircraft and other airworthiness requirements is approximately $50 million less than the cost of a new aircraft.

“This is a win-win for the U.S. Navy and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence,” said Capt. Steven Nassau, PMA-207 program manager. “Just as the Navy recognized the imminent need to replace the Fat Albert aircraft, the UK MOD was divesting of an American made, C-130J; aircraft allowing us to acquire a suitable replacement aircraft at a major cost savings.”

In March 2018, PMA-207 received congressional approval to proceed with acquisition of the UK MOD C-130J with funding from Foreign Military Sales proceeds.

The last dedicated Fat Albert, a C-130T Hercules, retired May 2019 and now serves as a ground-based training platform in Fort Worth, Texas. Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron will continue flying Navy or Marine Corps C-130 Hercules assets until the replacement aircraft is complete.

https://airforcesmonthly.keypublishing. ... ue-angels/