Original vintage 1964 Lockheed Aircraft Corporation advertisement for the company's iconic C-130 Hercules turboprop military transport aircraft - "What weighs 50 tons and can land in a bean field?"
Dimensions: Approx. 16 inches wide by 11.25 inches high - this is a two-page advert.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft.
The versatile airframe has found uses in other roles, including as a gunship (AC-130), for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and aerial firefighting. It is the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. More than 40 variants of the Hercules, including civilian versions marketed as the Lockheed L-100, operate in more than 60 nations.
The C-130 entered service with the U.S. in 1956, followed by Australia and many other nations. During its years of service, the Hercules has participated in numerous military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations. In 2007, the transport became the fifth aircraft to mark 50 years of continuous service with its original primary customer, which for the C-130 is the United States Air Force (USAF). The C-130 is the longest continuously produced military aircraft, having achieved 70 years of production in 2024.
The C-130 was named "Hercules" by its manufacturer, Lockheed, after the Greek mythological hero known for his strength, courage and perseverance. Hercules is also the name of a constellation, which fits the company's tradition of naming aircraft after celestial constellations, along with the P-2V Neptune and P-3 Orion.
Due to its versatile airframe and multiple variants designed for diverse military applications and missions, on which it has served from the 1950s to the present day, its name has also been described as fitting for its achievements in military history, with the Royal Australian Air Force comparing them to the legendary feats and labors of Hercules.
As an homage to the feats of the aircraft and of its namesake, the Hellenic Air Force painted one of its C-130 aircraft with a livery depicting Hercules in the style of Ancient Greek vase painting, with the inscription "Expanding the legendary feats of Hercules."
The first production batch of C-130A aircraft were delivered beginning in 1956, and the extended-range C-130E model in this Lockheed advert here entered service in 1962 after it was developed as an interim long-range transport for the Military Air Transport Service. Essentially a B-model, the C-130E designation was the result of the installation of 1,360 US gallons (5,100 litres) Sargent Fletcher external fuel tanks under each wing's midsection and more powerful Allison T56-A-7A turboprops. The hydraulic boost pressure to the ailerons was reduced back to 2,050 psi (14.1 MPa) as a consequence of the external tanks' weight in the middle of the wingspan. The E model also featured structural improvements, avionics upgrades, and a higher gross weight.
Lockheed AC-130 Gunship
The Lockheed AC-130 gunship - remember that awesome mission from Call of Duty? - is a heavily armed, long-endurance, ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport, fixed-wing aircraft. It carries a wide array of ground-attack weapons that are integrated with sensors, navigation, and fire-control systems. Since its large profile and low operating altitudes around 7,000 feet (2,100 m) make it an easy target, its close air support missions are usually flown at night.
During the Vietnam War, the C-130 Hercules was selected to replace the Douglas AC-47 Spooky gunship (Project Gunship I) to improve mission endurance and increase capacity to carry munitions. Capable of flying faster than helicopters and at high altitudes with excellent loiter time, the use of the pylon turn allowed the AC-47 to deliver continuous, accurate fire to a single point on the ground.
The airframe is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, while Boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support. Its sole operator has been the United States Air Force, which currently uses the AC-130J Ghostrider. Since Vietnam, it has seen combat in Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya – all except for Operation El Dorado Canyon, the 1986 attack on Libya.
Close air support roles include supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and urban operations. Air-interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets and targets of opportunity. Force-protection missions include defending air bases and other facilities. AC-130Js are based at Hurlburt Field, Florida and Cannon AFB, New Mexico; gunships can be deployed worldwide. The squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), a component of the United States Special Operations Command.
The AC-130 has an unpressurized cabin, with the weaponry mounted to fire from the port side of the fuselage. During an attack, the gunship performs a pylon turn, flying in a large circle around the target, so is able to fire at it for far longer than in a conventional strafing attack. The AC-130H Spectre was armed with two 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannons, one L/60 Bofors 40 mm cannon, and an M137 105 mm cannon and M37 recoil mechanism from the M102 howitzer.
After 1994, the 20 mm cannons were removed, and the upgraded AC-130U Spooky has a 25 mm GAU-12 Equalizer cannon in place of the Spectre's two 20 mm cannons, an improved fire-control system, and increased ammunition capacity. The new AC-130J was based on the MC-130J Commando II special-operations tanker, and the subsequent AC-130W Stinger II is a modified C-130H with upgrades including a precision strike package.
Lockheed Aircraft Corporation
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace company that employs more than 110,000 people worldwide. The defense powerhouse focuses on the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced technological systems. Serving the U.S. and International customers, Lockheed Martin offers products and services in many sectors such as aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, Communications, and more.
The Aeronautics sector focuses on researching, developing, and manufacturing advanced military aircraft, and it produces and provides support and sustainment services for the aircraft that they design and continue to upgrade. Some of the most famous aircraft include the C-130J Hercules, U.S. Air Force's F-22 fleet, and the Block 70F-16 for the Royal Bahraini Air Force.
