Lockheed C-130 Hercules

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a military transport aircraft. The aircraft was first introduced (made available) in 1957. It is still used today by over 60 countries worldwide in active service. There are over 40 models and types of the C-130.

General information
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation Lockheed Martin
Management and usage	United States Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force United States Coast Guard Royal Air Force (historical)
Number built	2,500+ as of 2015
History
Manufactured	1954–present
Introduction date	December 1956
First flight	August 23, 1954 (1954-08-23)

Accidents

The C-130 Hercules has had a low accident rate in general. The Royal Air Force recorded an accident rate of about one aircraft loss per 250,000 flying hours over the last 40 years, placing it behind Vickers VC10s and Lockheed TriStars with no flying losses.

Specifications (C-130H)

C-130H Hercules flight deck

A Hercules deploying flares, sometimes referred to as Angel Flares due to the characteristic pattern. These flares confuse heat-seeking missiles by burning very hot, looking like engines to missiles.

Cargo compartment of a Swedish Air Force C-130

Data from USAF C-130 Hercules fact sheet, International Directory of Military Aircraft, Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, and Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft.

General characteristics

• Crew: 5 (2 pilots, CSO/navigator, flight engineer and loadmaster)
• Capacity: 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) payload
  • C-130E/H/J cargo hold: length, 40 ft (12.19 m); width, 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m); height, 9 ft (2.74 m). Rear ramp: length, 123 in (3.12 m); width, 119 in (3.02 m)
  • C-130J-30 cargo hold: length, 55 ft (16.76 m); width, 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m); height, 9 ft (2.74 m). Rear ramp: length, 123 inches (3.12 m); width, 119 in (3.02 m)
  • 92 passengers or
  • 64 airborne troops or
  • 74 litter patients with 5 medical crew or
  • 6 pallets or
  • 2–3 Humvees or
  • 2 M113 armored personnel carriers
  • 1 CAESAR self-propelled howitzer
• Length: 97 ft 9 in (29.79 m)
• Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.41 m)
• Height: 38 ft 3 in (11.66 m)
• Wing area: 1,745 sq ft (162.1 m²)
• Airfoil: root: NACA 64A318; tip: NACA 64A412
• Empty weight: 75,800 lb (34,382 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (70,307 kg)
• Powerplant: 4 × Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines, 4,590 shp (3,420 kW) each
• Propellers: 4-bladed Hamilton Standard 54H60 constant-speed fully feathering reversible propellers, 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 320 kn (368 mph; 593 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
• Cruise speed: 292 kn (336 mph; 541 km/h)
• Range: 2,050 nmi (2,359 mi; 3,797 km)
• Ferry range: 3,995 nmi (4,597 mi; 7,399 km)
• Service ceiling: 33,000 ft (10,000 m) empty

23,000 ft (7,000 m) with 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) payload

• Rate of climb: 1,830 ft/min (9.3 m/s)
• Takeoff distance: 3,586 ft (1,093 m) at 155,000 lb (70,307 kg) max gross weight;

1,400 ft (427 m) at 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) gross weight

Avionics

• Westinghouse Electronic Systems AN/APN-241 weather and navigational radar

Lockheed C-130 Hercules Media

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  A C-130H Hercules flight deck. Aircraft displayed at the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection

• 

  A C-130 Hercules of the Hellenic Air Force, with a livery depicting the Mythological hero Hercules in the style of Ancient Greek vase painting.

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  A Michigan Air National Guard C-130E dispatches its flares during a low-level training mission

• 

  Two C-130 Hercules in South Korea, 1984

• 

  A C-130 conducts a night flight mission over Yokota Air Base

• 

  A Royal Air Force C-130K (C.3)

• 

  A USAF HC-130P refuels a HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter

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  C-130H with eight-bladed NP2000 propellers

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  A USMC KC-130F Hercules performing takeoffs and landings aboard the aircraft carrier Forrestal in 1963. The aircraft is now displayed at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

• 

  C-130 Hercules were used in the Battle of Kham Duc in 1968, when the North Vietnamese Army forced U.S.-led forces to abandon the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp.

Further reading

• Borman, Martin W. Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Marlborough, UK: Crowood Press, 1999. ISBN 978-1-86126-205-9.
• Diehl, Alan E., PhD, Former Senior USAF Safety Scientist. Silent Knights: Blowing the Whistle on Military Accidents and Their Cover-ups. Dulles, Virginia: Brassey's Inc., 2002. ISBN 1-57488-544-8.
• Donald, David, ed. "Lockheed C-130 Hercules". The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5.
• Eden, Paul. "Lockheed C-130 Hercules". Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft. London: Amber Books, 2004. ISBN 1-904687-84-9.
• Frawley, Gerard. The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002/03. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
• Olausson, Lars. Lockheed Hercules Production List 1954–2011. Såtenäs, Sweden: Self-published, 27th Edition March 2009. No ISBN.
• Olausson, Lars. Lockheed Hercules Production List 1954–2012 (March 2010). Såtenäs, Sweden: Self-published.
• Pentagon Over the Islands: The Thirty-Year History of Indonesian Military Aviation. Air Enthusiast Quarterly (2) (n.d.). p. 154–162.
• Reed, Chris. Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Its Variants. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1999. ISBN 978-0-7643-0722-5.