Workhorse - RAAF C-130s

This Episode features guest Ian Frame. He covers RAAF C-130 operations in South East Asia from 1971 - 1975 (mostly Apr 1975). The operations discussed include: Weapons delivery to Cambodia in 1971 Non-combatant Evacuation Operations at Phan Rang Operation Babylift HADR flights to An Thoi Evacuation of the Australian Embassy in Saigon HADR flights to Laos

This episode is a general overview of Royal Australian Air Force C-130 operations in South East Asia during the 1965-1972 era. 

This episode discusses the C-130's suitability for Aeromedical Evacuations (AME) and how the RAAF's Hercules aircraft were employed in the AME role. In particular, Vietnam-related AMEs are discussed, including the transition from C-130As to C-130Es in the AME role.

This episode looks at the situation in the mid-1960s by examining the circumstances that took Australia to Vietnam and the decision to acquire the C-130E.

This episode features Bob 'Shorty' Heffernan talking about two C-130A Legends: Dave Hitchins, Commanding Officer 36SQN for four years, and - 'Shorty' himself! Shorty was a loadmaster and was key to the development of several airdrop innovations on C-130As. The discussion covers hay drops, Vietnam, AMEs, repatriation tasks, and airdrop.

Retired Group Captain Dave Richardson discusses maintenance in the early 1960s, along with a few stories from his time as a C-130 Engineering Officer and Officer Commanding Air Lift Systems Program Office. Topics include: C-130A serviceability Fuel tank corrosion Modifications Rate of Effort T-56 engines 486 Squadron 2 Aircraft Depot

This episode looks at the ground trades that loaded C-130s and some of the early equipment used to load C-130s. Covered in this episode: Air Movements Air Dispatchers The Brooks Perkins system The 463L pallet The Truck Aircraft Loading Unloading vehicle  (TALU) Energy Dissipating Material (EDM)

John 'Sam' Samulski joins us today to discuss the history of airborne operations and the early days of airborne operations training in the Australian Defence Force. Included is an in-depth discussion of the various types of equipment airdrop and a look at the first drops conducted by C-130s in Australia.

This episode features retired Air Vice Marshal Greg Evans - a pilot who flew C-130s, commanded 37 Squadron and Air Lift Group.  He discusses pilot training at length, including: The RAAF Categorization scheme, A comparison of RAAF training techniques with USAF training (he was on exchange with the USAF), Simulators; and Training in the C-130A during the 1960s. The episode also features an account...

In 1962 the British Cobbold Commission recommended the amalgamation of Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Brunei to form Malaysia. Indonesia opposed this initiative by arming insurgents in Borneo and by conducting combat operations along its border with Malaysian Borneo. This conflict was dubbed the Borneo Revolt and was also commonly known as Konfrontasi .  RAAF C-130s were involved in...

This episode looks at early C-130A operational tasks that cumulatively gave the Australian, government, citizens, and military planners a good sense of just how much more capable air mobility was with C-130s in the inventory. The tasks covered include: The very first RAAF C-130 Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief mission which took place in the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) in the aftermath of 1959’s...

 The basic Hercules mission of moving passengers and cargo has had many different doctrinal and colloquial names over the years. The modern Australian Defence Force term is Air Logistics Support (or ALS for short). A widely used colloquial term is ‘trash-hauling’.  This episode covers three general topics, all to do with the main business of moving passengers and cargo.  The mechanics behind ‘norm...

This episode covers three different topics, all of which led to the first C-130A task: 1. Improvements made at RAAF Richmond (the home base for 36 Squadron's C-130As). 2. The acceptance and ferrying of the new C-130As from the US to Australia, and 3. The strategic situation that resulted in the first C-130A task: a flight to RAAF Butterworth, Malaya.

In preparation for receiving their new C-130A Hercules aircraft, the Royal Australian Air Force assigned C-130 crews and support staff for its new capability. Along with those who would use its capabilities, they all needed training. That training was partially accomplished in the USA as part of the Lockheed contract, and some of it occurred in Richmond, New South Wales, Australia.   Guest Col Coy...

This episode covers the strategic circumstances of the 1950s that led Australia to buy the C-130A; thus making the Royal Australian Air Force the first foreign operator of the mighty Hercules.

This episode describes the development of the C-130 Hercules in the early 1950s.