Finally found it…

Posted on by April 18, 2013

Yes, they really DID land a C-130 on the Forrestal back in the 60s’…

Took me a while, but I finally found this video that shows the actual landings!

NOT something I’d want to be riding in the back of the bus for… Just sayin…

Comments

Finally found it… — 21 Comments

  1. If I was taking that big boy from a carrier, I’d prefer to do it with JATO than simply naked. Particularly if it was leaving fully loaded.

  2. I still love to see the films of Doolittle’s 16 B25 Mitchell bombers taking off (barely) from the aircraft carrier Hornet. Everytime I see one of those planes “drop off” the end of the deck and slowly rise into the air I get goosebumps.

    What a magnificent feat of courage!

  3. This was done in 1963, about the same time as the Navy and Grumann were in the process of designing the C-2. The Hecules couldn’t be landed unless the deck was cleared, causing a problem when the air wing couldn’t be flown off. It also would have required the aircraft to be destroyed or the carrier to return to port if the aircraft went down (an obvious problem when in combat ops) When the Greyhound proved able to deliver over 20,00 pounds and operate and be maintained easily onboard, the idea was dropped. Probably to the intense relief of Herky drivers everywhere.

  4. That would certainly hike one’s “pucker factor”!! I wonder if they ever tried the C-123? I’d think with their combination of jet and prop engines, they would have had a bit more flexability. It always seemed to me their take off distance was shorter that the C-130.

  6. Glad they weren’t doing that when I was there, it was bad enough watching the CODs come in – which looked more like a controlled crash – that monster is just unbelievable.

  7. Pilot of the 130 was RAdm (then LT) Jimmy Flately III. I worked for him when he was C.O. on the Saratoga. Skipper Flatley retired with somewhere north of 1500 traps (got 1500 with Midshipman Jimmy IV in backseat of VF31 F4 on CV60 1980 cruise) AND I think 26 C130 CV landings

  9. Saw that after an episode of JAG back in like the eight grade. Think I have a picture of it a book somewhere “with the look ma, no hook” sign.

  10. LL- Yeah, but if the JATO misfired, things would go ‘sideways’ in a BIG hurry!

    Bogside- True statement Sir!

    Don- True, 20K vs. 40k and a fouled deck decided the issue in favor of the C-2…

    Bill- They could, but less cargo capacity, and the USAF wouldn’t give up one… 🙂

    Rev- LOL

    Instinct- It’s ALWAYS a controlled crash… 😀

    AC1- Thanks, and “Spider” Webb beat him by 1 or 2 landings… I think…

    Opus- Hehehe 🙂 FUN stuff!!!

  13. Those C-130’s are an amazing plane, and empty, I think it could take off of a postage stamp. They are known for they short takeoffs and with the added benefit of the wind coming down the flight deck, it seems an easy thing to do. But I was a radarman, what the hell do I know.

  15. Wow!. I rode in the back of many, but never saw where I was going and i think that’s one time I’d have been just fine with that.

  17. CP- They add 30 kts of wind really easy with a Carrier… 🙂

    TOTW- 🙂

    Ed- LOL

    ND- Yep he was!