RAF Museum C-130

For the official word (a day late though)

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/news/article.cfm?headline=Hercules

curlyboy

XV202 well that’s the second aircraft in the RAF museum’s collection I’ve got in my log book. A whole 25 minutes some 22 years ago, dropping a lightish weight MSP from 600ft to test a new transfer release interlock.

Okay, you be the one to take an axe to Gibson’s aircraft!:D

Well someone did!!

CD Man

I understand your view entirely. I should imagine the aircraft which was chosen had the least life left and probably due a major that would not be cost efective with the draw down of the K fleet.

We should be grateful that the been counters have allowed one to be preserved rather than sold for scrap. Lets hope a Mk1 makes it to Duxford.

Perhaps some more will be preserved at their former base in Wiltshire when the Defence College of Technical Training stands up there in 2013.

At the time more significant airframes than Gibson’s were actually saved, like 467 Squadron’s R5868 and IX(B) Squadron’s W4964 – both ‘100 Op veterans’! 🙂

And more significant as many more Lancaster crews would have spent time on it.

Okay, you be the one to take an axe to Gibson’s aircraft!:D

Whilst XV202 will be worthy of preservation surely these two would have been more worthy, still time yet as both are still in service.

quote ….
“According to the excellent BARG Falklands Air War, XV196 was one of the first C-130s to be fitted with extra internal fuel tanks to allow ultra long range flights, before the inflight refuelling mods took place. On 7th May 1982 XV196 was flown from Assension Island by a 47sqn (special forces) crew to meet HMS Plymouth in the South Atlantic, although the planned air drop was aborted the flight lasted 18 hours. The mission was repeated on the 8th May and sucessfull air drops to HMS Plymouth, HMS Irishman and HMS Yorkshireman carried out again with a 17 hour flight time. Three more long range flights were made before XV196 returned to UK on the 16th May for fitment of inflight refuelling

Also deserving of preservation is XV200, which was the first inflight refuelling conversion, work was completed in just ten days by Marshalls of Cambridge and XV200 was delivered to Assension Islands on 14th May. On 16th May a 47 sqn crew flew a 6300 mile sortie 23hour 45minute flight with six in flight refuels from Victors to deliver 1000 lbs of stores and eight paratroops to HMS Antelope, for which the pilot received an AFC and the rest of the crew Queens Commendations”

XV202 brings back some memories – I have almost 125 hours of viewing the inside of my eye lids on this baby. Only one trip across the atlantic in her but many going east! Oh and RIAT 1989.

And more significant as many more Lancaster crews would have spent time on it.

Getting back to the Herc, I’m surprised it’s a Hercules C.3 being preserved, it taking up more room, however more pleased aswel as they seem peculiarly British to me – and yes I do know that there are other stretched Lockheed C-130 versions!
Does anyone know if this airframe carries any particular history?

..My question was based on a simple question…if you’re going to preserve a aircraft, for example a Lancaster, would you rather have a 617 squadron ship or one that spent the war at a training unit? :rolleyes: ….

I’d take the Training Unit one – more representative of the type! 😉

XV202 arrived this morning.

Well I’ll be burgered, seems strange to hear of an airframe going to a museum when you have seen it operationally recently.
This is XV202 when she went tech at Saints in March. In fact it was the very same day that the crew got a very urgent call instructing them to abandon the aircraft there and to get back to base ASAP, as they were suddenly required for urgent ops – somewhere hot that isn’t a holiday location!

sHercules XV202 (31)s by Glassjar, on Flickr

sHercules XV202 (9)s by Glassjar, on Flickr

sHercules XV202 (11)s by Glassjar, on Flickr

sHercules XV202 (13)s by Glassjar, on Flickr

sHercules XV202s by Glassjar, on Flickr

Does it really need to be ” Worthy of Preservation ” . Maybe ” an example of type ” will be adequate justification!!

If one is going to be preserved, it might as well be one with a notable history.

My question was based on a simple question…if you’re going to preserve a aircraft, for example a Lancaster, would you rather have a 617 squadron ship or one that spent the war at a training unit? :rolleyes:

And no, I’m not comparing the Herclues to the Lancaster. :rolleyes:

XV177 should keep going to the middle of next year but watch this space……:rolleyes:

XV202 arrived this morning.

Does it really need to be ” Worthy of Preservation ” . Maybe ” an example of type ” will be adequate justification!!

Any more news on this?

177. The first delivered?

Does one have a notable service record that makes it especially worthy of preservation?

Im guessing that she’ll be outside along with other large type being reitred from serivce at the moment?

I can’t help you, but good news:)