Canadian Warplanes 5: Lockheed CC-130 Hercules

Lockheed CC-130 Hercules

(DND Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial Nos. 10329, and 10314 in line astern formation.

View of an MFP jump from inside a C-130 Hercules.  

I loved standing on the ramp waiting for the green light to jump, and as the ramp was being lowered When the ramp opened it was like watching a barn door opening in front of you.  The view was even more interesting when we had two other Hercules in trail formation following us to the drop zone, and on static line jumps you could make out the other two aircraft pulling up alongside in V formation so we could all exit at the same time - very rare if ever done these days.  As I stepped off the ramp I could see the other jumpers exiting the aircraft on either side - then the canopy was open and there was other business to take care of. On a Canadian Airborne Regiment training exercise over CFB Borden, Ontario in 1987 we had twelve Hercules carrying more than 600 paratroopers dropped by static line in four three-plane waves with weapons and equipment. We did a combat extraction two hours later - aircraft came in to land, taxied to the end of the runway and turned slowly around.  You jumped onboard by group, and if you missed the plane as it turned around, it took off without you and there was a 25 km hike north to a vehicle pickup point.  Needless to say, everyone was on board after the tenth plane came in and the other two came back to Petawawa empty. You are unlikely to see that again in Canada in the near future.

(DND Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial Nos. 10318, 10316, and 10333 (triple pig) in line astern formation over the Rocky Mountains.

(Author Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 10333), Edmonton, Alberta, 1978.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3660070)

Lockheed C-130B Hercules (Serial No. 10301), Resolute Bay or CFS Alert, with a Bombardier B-12 Snow Coach c1960s (Red Ensign era).  

This ex-USAF Hercules (Serial No. 60-5450), was delivered new to No. 435 (T) Squadron, RCAF Station Namao, Alberta, in November 1960. It was transferred to No. 408 Squadron at Rivers Camp, Manitoba from Namao, Alberta on 21 May 1965.  It was the first Hercules to fly with this unit. The aircraft was returned to Lockheed on 10 April 1967. It went on the civil market, Reg. No. N4652 in July 1967, then to the Columbian Air Force in January 1969 )Serial No. FAC-1003). On 16 October 1982, this Hercules ditched in the Atlantic Ocean after running out of fuel while en route from the Azores to Bermuda due to navigation system failure.  Although 5 of the 13 on board died, the Hercules remained afloat for two days.

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules (5), (Serial Nos. 10301-10304), and one USAF leased aircraft (Serial No. 65-0969)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (23), (Serial Nos. 130305-130328), CC-130H (14), (Serial Nos. 130329-130342), CC-130H-30 (2), (Serial Nos. 130343-130344), CC-130NY, CC-130J (17), (Serial Nos. 130601-130617) for a total of 56 aircraft.

(CAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Lockheed CC-130H-30 Hercules (Serial No. 130342), No. 435 Squadron, flying near Comox, British Columbia, in 2005.  This aircraft is a tanker, which is readily apparent by the AAR pod on each wing outboard of the engines.  This particular aircraft was destroyed on 21 Feb 2012 in Florida.  The crew was very skilled in how they handled the in-flight emergency and were lucky that they were where they were when it happened.

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 10320), No. 435 "Chinthe" (T) Squadron based at RCAF Station Namao, Alberta. 10320 was re-numbered (Serial No. 13020) on 28 May 1970.

(RCAF Photo via Jay White)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 10320), No. 435 "Chinthe" (T) Squadron based at RCAF Station Namao, Alberta. 10320 was re-numbered (Serial No. 13020) on 28 May 1970.

(RCAF Photo)

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules, RCAF (Serial No. 10303), c1966.

(DND Photo via Jay White)

Sikorsky CH-126 Choctaw Helicopter, RCAF (Serial No. 9632).

(RCAF Photos via Mike Kaehler)

The RCAF had 4 "B" model Hercules aircraft 10301-10304.  Here is one of them with the characteristic forward cargo door open.  These doors caused some problems (10304's door came open in flight and caused it to crash land in Saskatchewan).  This cargo door was not in the subsequent "E" model Hercs of which Canada had some.

(RCAF Photo)

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules, RCAF (Serial No. 10303), dropping Canadian paratroops, ca 1966.

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules, RCAF (Serial No. 10301), the first of many Hercules that would serve with the RCAF, the Canadian Armed Forces and again the RCAF.  Ex-USAF (Serial No. 60-5450).  It was taken on strength with No. 435 "Chinthe" (T) Squadron at RCAF Station Namao, Alberta, on 5 Oct 1960.  10301 later served with No. 408 "Goose" (Transport Support and Area Reconnaissance) Squadron at RCAF Station Rivers, Manitoba, and finally with No. 4 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario, on 14 Mar 1966.  The aircraft was purchased by Lockheed Georgia Company (Marietta, Georgia) on 29 Mar 1967.

(DND Photo via James Craik)

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules (Serial No. 10301). unloading a Canadair CL-13 Sabre (Serial No. 23470), No, 444 Squadron, at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario in the 1960s.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5039583)

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules (Serial No. 10302), No. 435 Squadron, during Operation Re-supply at RCAF Detachment Resolute Bay, Northwest Territories, ca early 1960s.

(RCAF Photo)

Canadair CL-13 Sabre wings being unloaded from an early Lockheed CC-130B Hercules (Serial No. 10302), RCAF Station Trenton in the 1960s.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5050960)

Bulldozer off-loading from a pallet after a low-altitude parachute extraction (LAPES) drop from a Hercules, May 1977.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5050969)

Observers on the ramp of a Hercules, Operation Morning Light, Feb 1978.

(DND Photo via James Craik)

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules (Serial No. 10301), No. 435 Squadron, Namao, Alberta.  

(DND Photo via James Craik)

Lockheed CC-130B Hercules (Serial No. 10301), No. 435 Squadron, Namao, Alberta.

(RCAF photo via Mike Kaehler)

Lockheed CC-130 Hercules, CFB Edmonton, Alberta, c1980.

(CAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 130310), ca 1973.

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules, RCAF (Serial No. 130315).

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules, RCAF (Serial No. 130321), 28 Feb 1993.

(DND Photo via James Craik)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules, (130307), with Canadian Airborne Regiment soldiers boarding.

(Author Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules, view of Canadian Army Military Freefall Parachutists (MFP) exiting with full equipment, ca 1979.

(Author Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 130318), view of Canadian Army Military Freefall Parachutists (MFP) exiting, ca 1977.

(Author Photo)

Sky Hawks preparing to board a Lockheed CC-130 Hercules, equipped with Jet Assisted Take-off (JATO) bottles mounted, for an airshow at CFB Goose Bay, Labrador & Newfoundland, 20 Aug 1977.  That is Pte Lorne Ogden bending over to tighten his parachute harness.

(Mike Freer - Touchdown-aviation)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 130308).

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Lockheed CC-130H Hercules (Serial No. 130329).

The CC-130H Hercules is primarily used for search and rescue operations. While it also carries out transport missions, its main focus is saving lives through the Canadian Armed Forces’ search and rescue mandate. It has a range of more than 7,200 kilometres and can transport approximately 80 passengers, operate on short unpaved runways and fly in severe weather conditions. These capabilities make the CC-130H an excellent aircraft for search and rescue operations over the vast span of Canada’s central and northern regions. (RCAF)

(Pedro Aragão Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 130315), Aug 1986.

(Aldo Bidini Photo)

Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (Serial No. 130323), Aug 1986.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5056631)

Canadian Forces Lockheed CC-130 Hercules, UNIIMOG, 1988.  The United Nations Iran–Iraq Military Observer Group was a United Nations commission created during the Iran–Iraq War by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 619 of August 9, 1988. The withdrawal of UNIIMOG forces in 1991 marked the official end to the Iran–Iraq War.

(airforcefe Photo)

Lockheed CC-130J-30 Hercules (Serial No. 130615), No. 436 Squadron, in service with the RCAF, operating out of CFB Trenton, Ontario.

(BriYYZ Photo)

Lockheed CC-130H Hercules (Serial No. 130339).

(Mike Kaehler Photo)

Lockheed CC-130H Hercules (Serial No. 130338), No. 435 Squadron in a tanker configuration, shortly after take-off in 2019 while visiting CFB Comox, British Columbia.

(Paul Nity Photo)

Lockheed CC-130H Hercules (Serial No. 130341).

(Paul Nity Photo)

Lockheed CC-130J Super Hercules (Serial No. 130612).

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Lockheed CC-130J Super Hercules (Serial No. 130606), 2 June 2011.