Features, Types and Tasks

The C-130 Hercules is a four engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was developed in the 1950s by Lockheed and is now a Lockheed Martin product.

The most distinguishing features of the Hercules are its ability to take of and land from very primitive airports with unpaved runways and its backward cargo door which also can be opened in-flight. The rear loading ramp is used to load and unload the aircraft, to drive vehicles in and out of the aircraft and to drop cargo or paratroopers during flight.

The C-130H model has updated Allison T56-A-15 turboprops, a redesigned outer wing, updated avionics and other minor improvements. The C-130H-30 model is an extended version of the standard C-130H.
 

Royal Netherlands Air Force

The Royal Netherlands recieved their first two Hercules aircraft, type C-130H-30, in 1994 and the other two, type C-130H, in 2010. The two type C130H-30 aircraft are named Ben Swagerman (G-273) and Joop Mulder (G-275) and the two type C-130H aircraft are named Bob van der Stok (G-781) en Willem den Toom (G-988). All four Hercules aircraft are assigned to 336 Squadron at Eindhoven Air Base.

The C-130 Hercules can carry up to 17,500 kg over a distance of approximatly 7,800 km and is used to transport armed forces personnel and materiel and to evacuate casualties of humanitarian disasters.