The Lockheed RC-130 Hercules were variants of the
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
, designed for photographic or electronic reconnaissance missions.
[Francillon 1982, p. 347-373]
Operational history
On 2 September 1958, C-130A-II ''56-0528'' was
shot down after it intruded into Soviet airspace during a reconnaissance mission along the Turkish-
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
n border.
Variants
;C-130A-II
:Electronics reconnaissance variant for use by
7407th Combat Support Wing
74 may refer to:
* 74 (number)
* one of the years 74 BC, AD 74, 1974, 2074
* The 74
The 74 is a nonprofit news website that focuses on and supports school-choice issues in the United States. Co-founded by former CNN host and education refor ...
, ten conversions from C-130A.
;RC-130A
:Photo reconnaissance variant, one converted from a TC-130A and 15 built new.
;C-130B-II
:Electronic reconnaissance variant, 15 converted from C-130B later designated RC-130B.
;RC-130B
:Re-designated from C-130B-II, all later converted back to C-130Bs.
;RC-130S
:Two JC-130A aircraft were modified with the
Battlefield Illumination Airborne System (BIAS) for night search-and rescue missions with the
446th Tactical Airlift Wing.
Operators
;
*
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
See also
References
Bibliography
* Francillon, René. ''Lockheed Aircraft since 1913''. London: Putnam, 1982. .
{{USAF system codes
C-130, R
1950s United States military reconnaissance aircraft
Four-engined tractor aircraft
High-wing aircraft
Four-engined turboprop aircraft
RC-130