The Labours of Hercules

The RAAF’s C-130J steps into the C-130H’s tactical airlifter shoes

In 1958, the Royal Australian Air Force became the first of 68 air arms outside the US to operate the C-130 Hercules. In the intervening 56 years, four models of the type have logged over 800,000 flying hours (or 91 years airborne) in Australian service, without the loss of a single airframe.

This impressive milestone was marked with a flyover of Sydney Harbour by the latest (and now, only) version of the venerable Herc to be operated by the ADF – the C-130J-30.