Image of the Air Force wings with the museum name underneath

Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week
FREE Admission & Parking

Lockheed C-130E Hercules

Note: Visitors are permitted to walk in this aircraft.


Introduced in August 1962, the C-130E conducted critical USAF military missions during the Southeast Asia War through Afghanistan and Iraq. It has also supported countless USAF humanitarian efforts around the globe and in all climates.

 

Originally designed by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin) as an assault transport able to operate from unpaved airstrips, the C-130 Hercules made its first flight in August 1954. Over the next half century, the US Air Force used various versions of this versatile aircraft for aeromedical evacuation, mid-air refueling of helicopters, mid-air space capsule recovery, search and rescue, reconnaissance, as a gunship, and for many other missions.

 

The C-130E (serial number 62-1787) on display had a long career, including a mission in the Southeast Asia War that earned two Airmen the Air Force Cross. This aircraft was flown to the museum in August 2011.

 

Spare 617

This C-130E aircraft (serial number 62-1787) participated in one of the greatest feats of airmanship during the Southeast Asia War on April 15, 1972.  Operating under the call sign Spare 617, the aircrew consisting of Capt. William Caldwell, pilot; Lt. John Hering, copilot; Lt. Richard A. Lenz, navigator; Tech. Sgt. Jon Sanders, flight engineer; and loadmasters Tech. Sgt. Charlie Shaub and Airman 1st Class Dave McAleece attempted to airdrop ammunition to surrounded South Vietnamese troops at An Loc.

 

While approaching the drop zone, Spare 617 received heavy enemy ground fire that killed Sanders and wounded Hering and Lenz, damaged two engines, ruptured a bleed air duct in the cargo compartment, and set the ammunition on fire. Shaub jettisoned the cargo pallets, which exploded in midair. Despite receiving severe burns from the hot air escaping the damaged air bleed duct, Shaub extinguished a fire in the cargo compartment. Meanwhile, Caldwell decided to head for Tan Son Nhut Air Base, which had the best medical facilities. Even though his engineer was dead and his co-pilot wounded, Caldwell closed the damaged bleed air duct, and he shut down the two damaged engines.

 

As Caldwell prepared to land with just two engines, the landing gear would not come down, and the wounded and badly burned Shaub directed McAleece as he hand-cranked the landing gear down using the emergency extension system. Even though a third engine lost power, Caldwell managed to land Spare 617 safely. For their efforts, Caldwell and Shaub received the Air Force Cross, the U.S. Air Force’s second highest award for valor. Shaub also received the William H. Pitsenbarger award for heroism from the Air Force Sergeants Association.

 

TECHNICAL NOTES:

Crew: Five (two pilots, navigator, flight engineer and loadmaster); for aeromedical evacuation a basic crew of five (two flight nurses and three medical technicians) is added

Engines: Four Allison T56-A-7 turboprops of 4,200 hp each

Maximum load: Six pallets or 74 litters or 16 container delivery system bundles or 92 combat troops or 64 paratroopers, or any combination of these up to 42,000 lbs.

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