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The Lockheed LC-130 is a ski-equipped United States Air Force variant of the C-130 Hercules used in the Arctic and Antarctic. Ten are currently in service with the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard.

Design and development

The LC-130 started as a prototype model developed by modifying a C-130A with skis in 1956. After testing in 1957, 12 additional C-130A models were modified with skis and hydraulics under the designation of C-130D. In 1959 the first four factory equipped, ski-based Hercules were produced under the Navy designation of UV-1L. These C-130s are USAF C-130B models. Later in the program the designation was changed from UV-1L to C-130BL. This designation was again later changed to LC-130F when aircraft nomenclature was standardized for all services by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1962. These four aircraft were bought by the U.S. Navy to support the Navy's Antarctic expedition that was ongoing at the time.

There have been two crashes in Antarctica. The first crash occurred in 1971 at an ice runway from McMurdo Station as a result of two JATO bottles ejecting improperly and striking the plane's propeller. This aircraft's registration was 148321. The second crash occurred when a second similar aircraft (159131) was destroyed, while delivering replacement parts for the first aircraft; this resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries. The repaired aircraft was dug out of the snow, had temporary repairs and then flown to McMurdo Station in 1987 at a cost of $10&nbsp;million and thence to Christchurch, New Zealand. It re-entered service and spent several more seasons doing antarctic work. The aircraft was retired to Davis-Monthan AFB sometime after 1998.

Currently all LC-130 aircraft are operated by the New York Air National Guard and are based at the Air National Guard's facility at Schenectady County Airport. There are two versions. Seven aircraft are LC-130H-2 (Three of these were Navy LC-130R from VXE-6 converted to LC-130H-2). Three are the LC-130H-3 model.

Aircraft on display

  • A D-model LC-130 is on display at the main entrance to Stratton Air National Guard Base, located at the Schenectady County Airport in Schenectady, NY.
  • The Pima Air & Space Museum has a 109th Tactical Airlift Group ski-equipped C-130D on display, one of the original twelve built before replacement of the fleet with the H model.

See also

References

  • 109th Airlift Wing Home Page
  • Bill Spindler's South Pole Home Page
  • The Entire LC-130 Production List
  • Development of the C-130D