EAGLE CLAW EC-130 Moved to Charlotte Aviation Museum

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Glad they are preserving another aircraft:

http://www.carolinasaviation.org/military/mc-130-hercules

EC-130E 62-1857

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules was introduced in the 50's as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft for the US Air Force. Since its introduction the versatile aircraft has served gunship, search and rescue, scientific research, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, firefighting, and much more. The C-130 is the only military aircraft to remain in production for over 50 years and it's still going strong.

Our EC-130E was one of the aircraft used in the Iran Hostage Crisis Rescue attempt in 1980 called Operation Eagle Claw, but it has seen service in many battles both before and after this event.

Here is a brief excerpt of the event as told in Col James Kyle’s book on the mission called “The Guts To Try”:

“As Tharps aircraft accelerated down the runway, we were watching through night vision goggles. The blown fuel truck at the far end had pretty well burned itself out – there were only stars and moonlight.


Then, as the C-130 reached the 3,000-foot point, my heart leaped into my throat. The aircraft hit the sand piled up along the shoulder of the road. There was a giant shower of dust and sand.


My God! We’ve lost ‘em!


Then, out of the other side of the billowing mass, the struggling Hercules appeared, straining to recapture its lost airspeed. Another 1,000 feet and the big bird staggered into the air”.

Since the aircraft is located on an active ramp area, free tours will scheduled each day to allow visitors to view this exhibit.

Read the entire history of this amazing aircraft here!

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/20...-hostage-raid-plane-on-long.html#.Um6HAXBOMb3

Russ Tharp has a special affinity for the military transport that has joined the squadron of historic exhibits at the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte – he was at its controls the night in 1980 when it was used in the failed rescue of U.S. hostages in Iran.

He was there when the mission unraveled in the swirling dust. When the secret desert rendezvous point was unexpectedly breached by smugglers and then a busload of civilians. When a helicopter crashed into another plane. And finally when Tharp rammed the C-130 into a roadbed on takeoff.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/20...plane-on-long.html#.Um6HAXBOMb3#storylink=cpy
 
And yet the Combat Talons that were there are rusting quietly in the boneyard. I know the powers that be can't put them all in museums, but you'd think they'd at least take one of them.

565, 551, 1843.jpg
 
I suppose there are worse fates for an airplane than to be made into beer cans.
 
I always enjoyed my visits to the Boneyard. Not many places to see so much aviation history in one place.
 
It's a different perspective after you've put three different types into the boneyard.
 
The boneyard is always been a special place for me, dad was stationed at Davis-Mothan in the late 60's. First time I saw a B-58 hustler in person, sexy aircraft.
 
The boneyard is always been a special place for me, dad was stationed at Davis-Mothan in the late 60's. First time I saw a B-58 hustler in person, sexy aircraft.

The B-58 Hustler was a famous aircraft. It's mishap rate was rather high and was nicknamed the Widowmaker. One little factoid is that many of the speed records were held by Col. H.J.Deutschendoif, Sr USAF. His son became very famous in the entertainment world. His name was known in nearly every household in the US. His reccords were known and loved worldwide, and he loved his Rocky Mountian home near Denver, Co. Like his father, the record holding B-58 pilot, the son also felt the need to take to the air. He would pilot his own airplane from concert to concert. He even took to flying adaptive, adapted, and frank experimental aircraft. He met his untimely death piloting an "experimental" aircraft, in the skys over the Pacific Ocean; just off the California Coast. His name, was John Denver.
 
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