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Sky Is on Fire Behind This C-130 Hercules, Monster Not Impressed

Back in the years after the Second World War, the American military realized there would probably be a lot more conflicts coming America's way, wars it will have to take part in. For that to happen, the nation needed not only battle hardware, but new support and transport machines as well.
C-130 Hercules 21 photos
Photo: UASF/Tech. Sgt. Austen R. Adriaens
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The C-130 Hercules was one of those machines made with support purposes in mind. Cooked up in the hangars of Lockheed, it was introduced in 1956 as a transport aircraft and has been in service, in a number of versions, ever since.

One of the best things about this four-engined beast is that it is capable of landing and taking off from more or less improvised runways. Thanks to that, it still is “the prime transport for airdropping troops and equipment into hostile areas,” as per the U.S. Air Force (USAF).

Capable of carrying up to 42,000 pounds (19,000 kg) of cargo, the plane can fly them to their destination at speeds of up to 417 mph (671 kph), and at altitudes of up to 28,000 feet (8,615 meters), depending on variant used.

Back in 2018, when it last made a count of the hardware, the USAF said there were still over 400 of these planes in operation across the country. The one we have here is deployed with the 133rd Airlift Wing of the Minnesota Air National Guard.

And it became kind of a minor celebrity thanks to the image we have here, released by the military branch last week, and showing the plane as it was sitting not on some improvised runway, but on a solid one at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station.

The photo shows it sitting unimpressed, but impressive, against an almost flaming sky, making it a perfect fit for this Saturday’s Photo of Day section.
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Editor's note: Gallery shows C-130 variants.

About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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