RAF C-130K/Js – Wales – 12th-15th May 08

thats a great lot of pics there TEEJ, love the one of the guy waving 😀

Thanks

I suppose they wanted a mixed fleet of colour schemes. The protrusion is the turret for the LAIRCM (Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures). Apparently it uses the old turret of the DIRCM (Directional Infra Red Countermeasures).

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/budget/fy2001/dot-e/airforce/01laircm.html

http://www.baesystems.com/Newsroom/NewsReleases/2001/press_050220011.html

The astrodome is on an old C-130K variant. The K models in RAF service go all the way back to the 1960s. All the other C-130s imaged are all C-130Js and don’t utilise the astrodome. I’ve never seen a J model with one fitted!

See thread on astrodome.

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=80543

Cheers

TJ

And why is there only one aircraft with an astrodome (with a waving person)?:confused:

Great pictures as always (in all the new threads).

Cracking pics but I do have two questions, why are some painted green and others grey and what is that protrusion on the first pic behind the roundel on the aircrafts rear fusalage?