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Lockheed AC-130A 'Hercules'

Description
Notes: C-130A modified as gunship.
  Manufacturer:Lockheed
  Base model:C-130
  Designation:AC-130
  Version:A
  Nickname:Hercules
  Designation System:U.S. Air Force
  Designation Period:1925-1962
  Basic role:Transport
  Modified Mission:Tactical support
  See Also:

Specifications
  Length: 97' 8" 29.7 m
  Height:38' 5" 11.7 m
  Wingspan: 132' 6" 40.3 m
  Wingarea: 1,745.5 sq ft 162.1 sq m
  Empty Weight: 59,328 lb 26,906 kg
  Gross Weight: 108,000 lb 48,979 kg
  Max Weight: 124,200 lb 56,326 kg

Propulsion
  No. of Engines: 4
  Powerplant: Allison T56-A-11
  Horsepower (each): 4050

Performance
  Range: 2,090 miles 3,365 km
  Cruise Speed: 328 mph 528 km/h 285 kt
  Max Speed: 383 mph 616 km/h 332 kt
  Climb: 2,570 ft/min 783 m/min
  Ceiling: 41,300 ft 12,588 m

Examples of this type may be found at
MuseumCityState
Museum of AviationWarner Robins AFBGeorgia
USAF Armament MuseumEglin AFBFlorida
United States Air Force MuseumWright-PattersonOhio

AC-130A on display

Museum of Aviation

United States Air Force Museum

USAF Armament Museum
  


 

Recent comments by our visitors
 Jeff Noecker
 , NY
For more info on the AC-130A and the follow-on models, please visit the Spectre Web Site at http://www.spectre-association.org/ There, you will find more gunship photos, history, and war stories than you can shake a stick at.
11/30/2009 @ 14:24 [ref: 25359]
 Morrison, Bobby
 Ft. Myers, FL
AC-130's, what a pain in the butt. Every time one of them would land at Nha Trang, VN1968, we would get hit that night. I worked on "Black" C-123's of Operation Duck Hook for the first 6 months or so of "68". We flew only at night and flew several TDY's to NKP, Thailand. I was transferred to the transient alert on base, due to a personality conflict, and refueled the AC-130's quite a few times. I remember there was a large foldour picture on the inside of the refueling door on the right side of the acft. She was one of the most beautiful natural redheads I had ever seen.
07/06/2005 @ 17:16 [ref: 10686]
 donald Branscom
 Guerneville,, CA
I was a jet engine mechanic in the 374th field maintence squadren at Naha AFB Okinawa.
1969-1971.
If any of you remember that Plane 0516 that went down near Okinawa and 14 airmen were lost- NTSB (says11)
let me know thanks. Like to know what really happened.

07/01/2005 @ 02:02 [ref: 10637]
 John L. Stroud
 Birmingham, AL
I worked along side with Alexander Cilli over in Ubon Thailand from 1969 to 1970 on sister gunship 54-1627 (known as Gomer Grinder) under crew chief Joseph C. Hughes. I also worked on 54-1627 and the other gunships (AC-130 & AC-119 models) in the 1st SOW (415th SOTS) st Hurlburt Field (Eglin Aux Field 9), Florida from 1971 to 1973. I again worked the Gunships as an Air Reserve Technican at Duke Fld, Fl (Eglin Aux Fild 3) in 919 CAMS from 1975 to 1985. The AC-130A's were converted from Aeroproduct propellers (3 blades) to Hamilton Standard propellers (4 blades) around 1980 due to the shortage of Aeroproduct Propellers. The AC-130 gunship airplane was at the top of the line for its conventional battlefield platform package & orbiting capabilities. The AC-130 was also easy to maintain.
11/13/2002 @ 14:08 [ref: 6067]
 Alex Cilli
 Rockaway,, NJ
I crewed on an AC-130 in Thialand. It was 53-3129. The AC-130A in the Photo was also in our squadron. I'm glad to see it preserved along with 53-3129.
11/28/2001 @ 18:07 [ref: 3732]
 John Lameck
 Windsor, ON
Yes there are versions primarily the E-130E/H and MC-130E/H which are equipped for aerial refueling. These can be refueled in flight by either the KC-135 or KC-10 aircraft.
If what I've heard is right, all Special Operations AC/MC-130 are aerial refuelable as well.
One 193 Special Operations Wing [PA ANG] EC-130E flew competely around the world during the War in the Gulf in 1991.
08/30/2000 @ 18:38 [ref: 685]
 A Enriquez
 , OR
Were any of the C-130 models ever equipped for aerial refueling? If so, could they be refueled by a KC-135?
06/09/2000 @ 02:22 [ref: 291]

 

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