FEMA trucks loaded into HC-130H, a photo by U.S. Coast Guard on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – One of two FEMA communications trucks is loaded into a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., HC-130 Hercules aircraft Jan. 15, 2010, to be transported to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The two vehicles are from the Mobile Emergency Response Support Detachment in Thomasville, Ga. The teams will be providing tactical communications between search-and-rescue teams in Haiti and coordinators.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Rob Simpson.

Lockheed AC-130H Spectre 69-6575 – “Wicked Wanda”, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, a photo by AV8PIX Christopher Ebdon on Flickr.

This is another shot of this Lockheed AC-130H Spectre 69-6575 – known as “Wicked Wanda”, of the 16th Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB.

The thing that I remember most about Cannon AFB, besides all of the F-111s that used to be based there, is how bad Clovis, NM smells. My goodness that town stinks to high heaven.

Via Flickr:

1991

The AC-130A Spectre is a C-130 converted to a gunship, primarily for night attacks against ground targets. To enhance its armament’s effectiveness, it used various sensors, a target acquisition system, and infrared and low-light television systems. The versatile C-130 Hercules, originally designed in the 1950s as an assault transport, was adapted for a variety of missions, including weather mapping and reconnaissance, mid-air space capsule recovery, search and rescue, ambulance service, drone launching, mid-air refueling of helicopters, and as a gunship. The C-130 could transport up to 92 combat troops and their gear or 45,000 pounds of cargo. Where facilities were inadequate, the Hercules could deliver cargo by parachute or by a using a low-altitude parachute extraction system without landing.

The crew of this AC-130A Spectre gunship, named Azrael (Azrael, in the Koran, is the angel of death who severs the soul from the body) displayed courage and heroism during the closing hours of Operation Desert Storm. On Feb. 26, 1991, Coalition ground forces were driving the Iraqi army out of Kuwait. Azrael was sent to the Al Jahra highway between Kuwait City and Basrah, Iraq, to intercept the convoys of tanks, trucks, buses and cars fleeing the battle. Facing numerous enemy batteries of SA-6 and SA-8 surface-to-air missiles, and 37mm and 57mm radar-guided anti-aircraft artillery, the crew attacked the enemy skillfully, inflicting significant damage on the convoys. The crew’s heroic efforts left much of the enemy’s equipment destroyed or unserviceable, contributing to the defeat of the Iraqi forces. On Feb. 28, 1991, Iraq agreed to a cease-fire.

The aircraft on display was assigned to the 919th Special Operations Wing and was retired to the museum in October 1995.

TECHNICAL NOTES:

• Armament: Two 7.62 miniguns, plus two 20mm and two 40mm cannon
• Maximum speed: 480 mph
• Range: 2,500 miles
• Span: 132 ft. 7 in.
• Length: 96 ft. 10 in.
• Weight: 124,200 lbs. maximum
• Serial number: 54-1630

General Electric AN/ASQ-145 Low Light Level Television Sensor System

The Low Light Level Television Sensor (LLLTV) installed on AC-130 gunships enabled the aircrew to illuminate targets covertly during night operations. Located just in front of the 20mm guns, the LLLTV could amplify the existing light 60,000 times to produce television images as clearly as if it were noon. The crew used a laser, which was invisible to the naked eye but showed up clearly on the LLLTV, to aim the AC-130′s guns with great accuracy.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s FAAAAAAAT Albert!” I don’t know why I like this silly plane, but I’ll pretty much always post a picture of Fat Albert whenever I can.

For those of you that don’t know, Fat Albert is the C-130 Hercules support plane of the Blue Angels.

The Blue Angel’s ground crew, spare parts, and other accoutrements fly in this C-130 Hercules. Without Fat Albert flying support, there would be no Blue Angels.

The first flight took place in November, and I apparently, was asleep at the wheel for it. In any case, here’s some video of it for your enjoyment.