C-130 production

[Pat Carry]

Is the C-130 still being produced? If so what model are they now in and how many examples have been made since they started coming off the assembly line in the 50's?

[APG85]

Yes, it's been in continuous production since 1953. The current model is the C-130J. Previous BASIC models have been the C-130A, C-130B, C-130E, C-130H, and the L-100 (civil version). There have been many derivatives, to many to list...

[tex-fan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-130 has most of what your looking for, i think the A's are all that are being retired. GREAT airplane!

[Kyleb]

Is the C-130 still being produced? If so what model are they now in and how many examples have been made since they started coming off the assembly line in the 50's?

As others have stated, yes, it is in current production. The amazing thing is that the production rate is being increased to cover current demand for "J's"...

[Ztex]

Yes the line is still running..the latest was delivered @ the first of September.

And the number I found online was 2329 produced.

[CAPFlyer]

www.herkybirds.com

Constantly being updated by the guys who are or have flown and/or operated them. A GREAT resource for airframe histories, new changes, and discussion on the aircraft.

[noizeedave]

I know we have C-130J-30's. The difference is that they are stretched 15 feet. 7 forward and 8 aft. I know our fleet starts with an 01' model and the newest is an 07' Yes they did make stretch models during the H model production line, but they lacked the power to fully utilize the space. Most ended up civilian to companies such as Lynden.

Many Air Force units are still awaiting delivery to complete their fleets' and that they all picked up at the factory.

The J is an amazing machine, but its' in the infancy years, so it has many flaws that were worked out in previous models and we are having to go through and fix problems, problems which we fixed decades and even years back. Lockheed-Martin produces great machines, but their engineers live in the basement and appearantly dont get to find out what didnt work and what does work to improve the new models!!!

[tom d. friedman]

versatile, rugged & a real work horse, modifyed countless times & always comes through like aaaa champ. what mods have other countries other than the u.s. done to the herky that i don't know about?? what else other than the c-47 has given bang for the buck that long?? it's crews were just a twinkle in daddy's eyes in those days, the herky is older than the crews!!

[APG85]

My favorite Herc picture courtesy of the Air Force...

[noizeedave]

You gotta love those sandstorms!

[tom d. friedman]

in 93 i was at keesler afb visiting my ex wife's cousin who worked on them. these were hurricane birds that flew into the storms. i was by the flare shoot & lo & behold were a pair of the best fitting nomex flight gloves i ever saw, er stole, er borrowed , er uhh... i'm a taxpayer so their mine!! losers weepers!! he said if somebody was that dumb to leave em then take em as they are highly prized. they are still hanging tough today through the crap ohio weather. don't tell uncle sam!!

[ZRX61]

Lockheed-Martin produces great machines, but their engineers live in the basement

I can confirm this: My ex is an engineer at Plant 42 & her office really is in the basement..

[ZRX61]

When they had the 30th anniversary of the C130 in the UK, the RAF invited various air forces etc to show up. The ramp was full of them, the line up was pretty funny as they had a bunch of various Arab AF's, then a UN C130 seperating the Arabs from the IDF example...

[JDK]

what mods have other countries other than the u.s. done to the herky that i don't know about??

The one that comes to my mind is the Marshall's of Cambridge 'stretch' to RAF Herks.

Unarguably one of the most important aircraft in history.

[APG85]

Some nice Herc shots from the AF...