CARGO JET, HURRICANE HUNTER, GUNSHIP: EVOLUTION OF THE C-130
April 5, 2023Matt Fratus,Jenna Biter
During the Korean War, the United States Air Force recognized there was a need for a large multipurpose aircraft that could be modified to perform both combat and humanitarian missions in far-flung locales. Such a plane would need to be able to land on, and take off from, short runways, and also have enough cargo space to transport artillery pieces, tanks, and troops over long distances.
Lockheed was contracted to develop the prototype. In 1954, the company unveiled the C-130 Hercules, a four-engine turboprop that was capable of transporting up to 92 combat troops, plus their gear, and had a maximum cargo load of 42,000 pounds. Since then, more than 70 variants of the C-130 have taken to the skies to carry out a range of missions. One of the most prolific variants is the AC-130, a heavily armored ground-attack gunship that has participated in every major American conflict since the Vietnam War.
From weather reconnaissance to “commando hunts” to wildfire suppression, here are some of the more notable roles the versatile C-130 has undertaken over the decades to earn its reputation as one of the most significant military innovations of the modern era.
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