USAF Aircraft at Basecamp

On my trip to the range at the end of October, stopped by Base Camp to see if there was any activity. A cargo plane was on the runway, looks like getting refueled. I am trying to determine what plane it is, where it is from, by tail number, but can't get anywhere. Any ideas? gariac?
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reply to post by FosterVS


Well, we know it's a C130 Hercules. Usually there are a few more markings than are shown here. That's a little suspect. I'm a little intrigued by the guy in civilian clothes. I guess he is a civilian contractor, but I would think he would at least have on a flame retardent nomax suit. I don't see a fire truck or a large fire extinquisher around...thats kind of wierd. Perhaps that is what they are waiting on.
I noticed the ports/windows forward of the wings. I don't recall there being windows in that location and I have flown on one many times, so it could be Spooky Gun Ship. I don't have a tail numbers book and I don't know if there is one online so that is about all I can offer.
Seeashrink

reply to post by FosterVS

I did find an FAA tail number research site, but every way I run the number it comes back to single engine civilian aircraft.
seeashrink

I dont know what it means, but the fuel truck there is pretty much in cognito also.
From looking at the picture are both people in civialian cloths?

I think that's C-130E 62-1857 out of Hurlburt Field in Florida.

It's a SOG MC-130, atleast that is what it looks like, and what ours looks like at our base. and the truck is a refueling truck and it is probably just waiting to refuel. The civi's are probably just contractors that work for the airfield. Nothing big, I see this kind of stuff EVERYDAY at my base.

reply to post by calsd06


Interesting but what makes you say that? It could certainly be an E, but it seems to me the E series has a different nose cone for the additional electronic jamming equipment and more of an antenna array. At first I thought there were several antenna on top but then I realized that was just the props on the other side.
Seeashrink

reply to post by Reign02


Works for me.
Seeashrink

Think I tracked it down:
It is a EC-130H Rivet Fire/Compass Call out of the 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

"The EC-130H Compass Call is the only US wide-area offensive information warfare platform, Compass Call provides disruptive communications jamming and other unique capabilities to support the Joint Force Commander across the spectrum of conflict."

Interesting...

There is no official military serial number registry available to the public. There are two main unofficial serial number databases. One is scramble.nl and the other is joebaugher.com

The EC-130 is pretty spiny. This doesn't look like the EC-130.

In any event, this is good investigative work. The basecamp crew is known to be "in your face" confrontational. Documenting any plane at basecamp is useful information.

EC-130 abccc

It looks like this C-130 was an EC-130 of a flavor no longer used if I am reading the link correctly. The mission was given to other aircraft and the EC-130 ABCCC were converted back to more conventional status. This would explain why some databases still consider the serial number to be an EC-130.

There are all sorts of scenarios regarding this plane at Basecamp. It could be just for refueling. Or they delivered something to the base. It is kind of hard to observe Basecamp without being observed yourself. They have food, air conditioning and a bathroom, so they can "out wait" you. Unlike the camo dudes, the characters at Basecamp don't mind getting in your face.

Note the color, looks like it could camo over water huh? beautiful piece of machinery.

Long shot - but any possible link to the Yemeni cargo planes?

second

It is a C-130E.

See under C-130E tab

www.herkybirds.com/hbfiles/Herks%2015%20Apr2010.xls

During 62-1857s long career it has served previously as an EC-130

www.abtriplec.com...

TJ

Originally posted by FosterVS
Think I tracked it down:
It is a EC-130H Rivet Fire/Compass Call out of the 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Compass Call has a large "clothes line"-like antenna array on the tail. This doesn't have it.

Looking around the net, this plane hasn't been photographed in a while. That in itself is interesting. It doesn't seem to have made the airshow circuit.

Found more info at herkybirds.com:

382 162-1857 C130E Flying 16SOW was EC130E

So it was a EC130E (modified C-130 Hercules used to conduct psychological operations (PSYOP) and civil affairs broadcast missions in the standard AM, FM, HF, TV and military communications bands) and was converted to a C130E.

"The 1st SOW (was 16SOW until Nov. 2006) mission focus is unconventional warfare: counter-terrorism, combat search and rescue, personnel recovery, psychological operations, aviation assistance to developing nations, "deep battlefield" resupply, interdiction and close air support. The wing has units located at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada."

FURTHERMORE - the guys on this forum:
www.abtriplec.com...
state that this Herc was one of 4 involved in the failed Iran hostage rescue mission, Operation Eagle Claw:
en.wikipedia.org...

Who cares? Dunno, I for one just find it interesting.

www.afsoc.af.mil...

I see they also fly the MI-8. That is the Soviet era attack helicopter.

More, for anyone that cares...
A book called "The Praetorian STARShip: TheUntold Story of the Combat Talon"
books.google.ca...=onepage&q&f=false

This plane was "Republic 5" on the failed Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission, "Operation Eagle Claw".
It was at that time an EC130E ABCCC aircraft.

Hello, that would appear to be and Ac130 gunship. They are used for Air-to-Ground missions for close support. As to where its from, its possibly from Nellis AFB or Ewards AFB. It is also very possible that it just came from a mission in Afghanistan or some other operating location.