TOP STORY > >C-130E completes its last combat mission

By Airman 1st Class Allison Boehm
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – After 47 years of service, a C-130E completed its last combat mission while in Iraq. Upon reaching its total aircraft hours of more than 33,220, the Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. aircraft was retired.

“It’s a very sad day when an aircraft retires,” said Capt. Bradley Allen, 777th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge. “A lot of people over many years have put in hard work and countless hours to maintain the aircraft - to see this one go, especially since it is a good flyer, it is a sad day.”

Although days away from retirement, tail 9813 remained vital to the mission as its last few hours of flight were spent over Iraq on an air drop mission. As the C-130 soared of Iraq cargo pallets of supplies were pushed out the aircraft to aid servicemembers across the AOR.

Previously, the aircraft served in many different roles such as humanitarian missions, airlift transport of troops and equipment, and operations during Desert Storm.

Even though tail 9813 was a noted “good flyer” it flew the amount of hours its airframe was intended for and reached its service life.

“Some aircraft are old, and they have done their job and have done it well,” said Capt. Bradley Buinicky, 777th Expeditionary Aircraft Squadron C-130 co-pilot. “Most of them are from 1962 to 1972 and flew in the Vietnam War. So there is a lot of heritage involved in each airframe and each tail specifically.”

Despite the aircraft’s age and even though it was heavily flown, tail 9813 was able to achieve a milestone in the maintenance arena by earning a “black letter initial” in 2007. The aircraft went with no open maintenance issues that entire year and was rated a perfect aircraft; ready for flight.

Such an honor is a reflection on every crew member that turned a wrench or inspected tail 9813, said Captain Allen.

Tail 9813 will now join more than 4,000 other aircraft at the aerospace maintenance and regeneration center, otherwise known as “the boneyard,” at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.