Green Hercules

[tog]

A dark green Hercules has just flown over me, dodging treetops as it did so, with funny large triangular aerials or pods on the rear fuselage, on both sides. I'm only a few miles from Lyneham, so low flying Hercs are nothing unusual, but green ones are less common and I've not seen the aerials before. I guess it's a special ops aircraft? Any idea what the pods were?

[ErnestM]

EC-130 perhaps?

[anonymous-user]

Probably one of Lynehams Special ops ones. Will post a picture later.

[Simpo Two]

It's not our dear Government checking up to see if we've built a conservatory is it?

[J-c]

Special forces on a training op HtH.

[anonymous-user]

This could be the one you saw, I took this at Lyneham about a month ago shortly before being told to put my lens away by RAF Police!!

This is one of the older C-130K C3's.

[eccles]

The 'tits' on the back are for countermeasures (DIRCM), they are fitted to standard and SF aircraft.

The change to green happens when they go to Marshalls in cambridge for a major servicing, part of this is a strip and repaint in 'tactical green' (as opposed to the old 'air defence grey')

[eccles]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Just to be ultra geeky, that's a C3a, as it's been modified up to nearly full special forces spec.
Note the chaff/flares dispenser under the nose. 12 mk3's were modified this way.

[anonymous-user]

I have seen photos of other SF ones with an additional box under the centre cockpit window.

[eccles]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

They are the cameras, usually there is a turret under the nose as well.These were fitted to the C1 (short) full SF spec aircraft.

[anonymous-user]

Green C-130J, with optional IFR probe, but without the other mods.

[tog]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

That looks like it. I think it had the chin bulges. It was definitely a K not a J (or at least it had the underwing tanks which is how I usually tell them apart) and I think it was a C1 not a C3. It was pretty low, even by the usual standards, and came directly overhead so I could see the 'tits' clearly. Scared the new puppy a bit!

[RizzoTheRat]

I still think Snoopy was one of the best looking Herc mods

DISPATCH WAR ROCKET AJAX

[raf_gti]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I hope you laughed at him and then asked what the difference between him and a real policeman is?

[mybrainhurts]

RizzoTheRat said:

I still think Snoopy was one of the best looking Herc mods

DISPATCH WAR ROCKET AJAX

What's that for...?

Rogering paragliders...?

[tog]

mybrainhurts said:

RizzoTheRat said:

I still think Snoopy was one of the best looking Herc mods

DISPATCH WAR ROCKET AJAX

What's that for...?

Rogering paragliders...?

If you ask nicely they'll come round and insert in into your weather front.

Is it still flying?

[ninja-lewis]

tog said:

mybrainhurts said:

RizzoTheRat said:

I still think Snoopy was one of the best looking Herc mods

DISPATCH WAR ROCKET AJAX

What's that for...?

Rogering paragliders...?

If you ask nicely they'll come round and insert in into your weather front.

Is it still flying?

Marshall now use it as a flying testbed for the A400 engine.

[thatone1967]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

what's the difference between a standard and "special op's" herc, assuming you are allowed to answer without killimg me that is.....

[Simpo Two]

I like the way they paint the (supposedly special and secret) Hercules's a different colour so you can tell they're special and secret... doh...



'Aim for the green ones Ahmed'

[Eric Mc]

I always liked the original RAF colours. Given where they RAF are now operate, why don't they revert to this.

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 26th October 17:10