Lockheed C-130 Hercules: Books - History and Deployment

Lockheed-Martin C-130 Hercules: Flying with air forces around the world

This beautiful Duke Hawkins photo book extensively presents the Lockheed-Martin C-130 Hercules, which has been in service for more than 65 years with more than 70 air forces around the world.
The book contains not only action photos, but also many "walkaround" photos that show details of the aircraft from different angles. Chapters on cockpit (14 pages), fuselage, armament and maintenance work (14 pages).

Attention to all C-130 variants: C-130H, EC-130H Compass Call, EC-130J Commando Solo, AC 130W Stinger II and AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, the MC-130J Commando II, MC-130H Combat Talon II, HC-130P Combat King I and HC-130J Combat King II, the WC-130J Weatherbird tornado fighter, the LC-130 on skis and C-130 firefighting planes.

The series "Aircraft in Detail" arose from the collaboration between pilots, aircraft technicians and modellers. This volume (No. 9) on the Lockheed-Martin C-130 Hercules family is illustrated with over 500 very high quality color photographs, most of which have never been published before.

C-130 Hercules in the RAF

This book tells the full story of one of the most important aircraft in RAF service over the last fifty years. A work horse that is also astonishingly adaptable for a range of specialised operations, the Hercules is capable of carrying troops as well as vehicles, moving men from one location to another in peacetime training or inserting special forces teams on clandestine operations in time of war.

The book covers the first delivery to the RAF to the C-130 C Mk. 1 Hercules in 1967 to the introduction of new versions, including the C-130K C1/C3 and C-130J C4/C5, through its myriad deployments in training, war and humanitarian operations.
The book provides details of the special equipment fitted to some aircraft, including defensive infra-red countermeasures equipment and the Skyguardian radar-warning system.

Lockheed C-130 and its Variants

This revised, expanded edition chronicles the development and career of the worlds predominant military airlifter, from its origins in the depths of the Cold War through the present day. It includes new information and pictures on current variants, along with updated appendices with present day units and active aircraft.

Over 190 photographs show the Herk in a variety of roles and paint schemes: coverage includes gunships, electronic warfare and reconniassance models, testbed and special use aircraft, and Navy models.

C-130 Hercules : A History

Designed in response to a 1951 requirement, the C-130 Hercules is the most successful military airlifter ever built. Since it first flew in prototype form on 23 August 1954, more than 2,100 have been produced in over eighty different versions.
Hercules serves more than sixty air forces, as well as many civilian cargo operators, in a multiplicity of roles, including air-to-air refueller, gunship, airborne command post, flying hospital and fire-fighter.

This rugged and easily maintained aircraft entered service in 1956 with the USAF Tactical Air Command. Ten years later the 'Charlie 130' was providing the essential logistical support in Vietnam. This period in South-East Asia was the Hercules' finest hour.
Paradrops, airlift and evacuation operations were completed around the clock, often at low level, usually under fire and nearly always in bad weather. A generation later this 'Mr Dependable' was serving with equal distinction in the Gulf War in the role of airlifter, radio-countermeasures and 'psy-ops' platform, gunship and, once again, 'block-buster bomber'.

The incredible success story of the C-130 is far from over. Here Martin W. Bowman tells the full story of this remarkable aircraft at first-hand.

C-130 Hercules: Lockheed's Military Air Transport, and Its Variants

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules has been in continuous production for over six decades, longer than any other military aircraft in the world, and no end of production is yet in sight. The Hercules has been a part of US combat operations since Vietnam, and the airframe, which began life as a simple transport, has been adapted to a variety of roles, including gunship, electronic warfare, refuelling, and rescue.
This book chronicles the development and use of the Hercules from concept to combat.

Through dozens of archival photos, many never-before-published, as well as detailed photographs of some of the finest existent examples, these iconic aircraft are explored, and their history explained.

Night Hunters - The AC-130s and Their Role in US Airpower

Air power historian William P. Head provides the first detailed study of the development and deployment of the AC-130 gunship. While other airframes and other types of close air support (CAS) and interdiction weapon systems preceded or flew with the AC-130s, this four-engine cargo airframe proved to be not only the longest serving fixed-wing gunship but also the most effective by far.

During the Vietnam War, the US military developed new tactics and weapons systems to counter a diversity of enemy tactics and geographic features, the difficult climate, and the shifting diplomatic context. One of the most important was the development of the AC-130. Its ability to transport heavier payloads at higher altitudes across longer distances made it the logical choice to be the final Vietnam-era fixed-wing gunship and the only one that continues to fly missions in the twenty-first century. In addition, it employed many of the most advanced weapons, sensors, targeting devices, and fire control systems of the 1970s or of any era.
By recounting both the technical development and the combat operations of the plane, and by looking at the proposed alternatives for its use in the War on Terror, Night Hunters offers a clear view of the role of gunships and of close air support in US wars. In today's never-ending brushfire wars, the AC-130s continue to uphold their reputation for excellence.

C-130 Hercules

Die Lockheed C-130 Hercules ist zweifellos eines der bekanntesten und vielseitigsten Militärflugzeuge der Welt. Bis heute wird die Maschine in Serie gebaut ? mehr als 60 Jahre nach ihrem Erstflug! Aus der Basisvariante entwickelten sich zahlreiche Spezialversionen, die teils äußerst spektakuläre Sonderaufgaben übernehmen, zumeist im militärischen Einsatz. Doch auch zivile Versionen wurden gebaut, wie z.B. Arktisversionen oder Feuerlöschflugzeuge. Auch die deutsche Luftwaffe übernimmt nun sechs C-130J Super Hercules in ihr Arsenal.

Christian Rastätter beschreibt das Muster gewohnt fachmännisch und in großer Detailtiefe.