Super STOL C-130 Mishap

[Rcracer867]

Hey did any of the pilots die in this? I can't find anything about it.

[ATFSCrash]

@Rcracer867

If you can't find anything on this, you certainly didn't look very hard. There are links in the video description. ;)

[darkyoda]

So, barring the one crash I have to ask, did it ever actually work?

[ATFSCrash]

Yes and no. IIRC It at least partly worked in the tests. However after the mishap flight; I think the plug was pulled on the project. I don't think it was ever used in operations.

However a relative of this project is still in service. The RATO (rocket assisted takeoff) versions are still in service.

IIRC The reverse thrust braking rocket and cushioning rocket concept was abandon after this failure.

[im8act]

I just say this on the Destroyed in Seconds show. No one was hurt according to it... If this actually worked, it would have been badass! XD

[InzuDraRagna]

The rockets did fire prematurely I watched a History channel program on it. and it was at 20 feet. NOT 60 or 80 feet flyfish3434.

[ATFSCrash]

InzuDraRagna: the History Channel is awesome; however theyre not always correct. You ought to take a closer look at the video and do a little a little better research. Im not entirely sure what the facts are because there are many conflicting claims. It seems the narration in this video is wrong and that perhaps the history Channel was somewhat wrong.

[InzuDraRagna]

The History channel does the best they can with the info they are given.

[ATFSCrash]

InzuDraRagna: It looks like the altitude may have been too high; but definitely the rockets that were meant to cushion the landing (downward facing rockets did not fire at all). Ive heard both claims that that was the crews error or a malfunction that prevented those rockets from firing. At this time Im not sure which.

[flyfish3434]

No one has mentione the plan about the buses to crash through the gates and pick everyone up......wow, that would have been a real folly. I liked the c130 idea better than any, but the hostages were dispersed and all Raegen had to do was bark.....and they released them.

[Reynard13Fuchs]

@flyfish3434:

"all Reagan had to do was bark"

Uhh, more like recite the Oath of Office, in other words, Reagan did NOTHING.

Look up the Algiers Accords, because THAT is what released the hostages.

[ATFSCrash]

Reynard13Fuchs: Youre not being honest, the biggest reasons that the Iranians made a 12th hour deal is that Reagan barked, and Reagan had a history of backing his bark with actions. The Iranians made a 12th hour deal to try to avoid serious consequences for taking hostages. Instead they brokered a deal with Carter that essentially rewarded the Iranians for taking the hostages. Carters weakness and incompetence and willing to compromise was exploited by the terrorists.

[ATFSCrash]

Just as North Korea exploited Carter s and Clintons weakness and naivety to get the nuclear bomb. The peaceniks have made the world a much more dangerous and hostile place. I find it ironic that political activists nominate Clinton and Carter for Nobel peace prizes; when in fact their contributions to North Korea and other such compromises have made the world a much more dangerous and violent place. Like Reagan said; trust but verify, and Ill add, carry a big stick.

[flyfish3434]

Worked on 3 of these special C130s. Facts: the windows were blacked out (look close at front windsheild) so we could go in at night. The altimeters were set at Dobbins and not accurately reset in FL. Twenty feet to high, rockets fired, plane stalled, dropped like a rock. 20 people injured best i remember, none killed. Lots of embarrassed 5,4 star and CIA in the stands...scrapped mission. some of Carters screw ups...then the helicopters in the desert,fiasco. Reagen barked...hostages released.

[ATFSCrash]

20 people injured? How is that? I thought only the basic flight crew was on board and that no one on the ground was injured.

[flyfish3434]

best I remember there were engineers, photographers, a few others, I wasn't on the plane. There were different stories depending on your view...just like a car accident...we didn't know the truth for a long time and may not still. look at video, can you see the windsheild blacked out? BTW, this is not the original film or release statement that was first posted...it's enhanced. Don't know why they took the original off....do you?

[ParaglidingManiac]

weren't brake rockets started too early?

[ATFSCrash]

ParaglidingManiac: Possibly. Im not sure. Ive heard some debate about that. I think it was right on time, but the altitude may have been slightly high; though Ive heard some say it was the exactly the right altitude. There still seems to be some debate within the community.

[flyfish3434]

I told this story for years...no one believed it until now. There is a possibility that both events occurred simultaneously, but unlikely I would think.

[flyfish3434]

yes, too high....something about elevation varies at Duke and Hurlburton by....don't remember 60 or 80 feet.

These planes were tested before they went to Fl....everything worked, but what a fiasco and embarressment.

[arroy624]

the rocket did fire at the right time... except the maneuver was not at the right altitude.

[ATFSCrash]

Arroy624: Incorrect. Look again. On the mishap landing the cushioning rockets did not fire. I think there is either a technical malfunction or the copilot or engineer/navigator who is tasked to fire the rockets didnt cue the cushioning rockets. (Ive heard both stories and Im not sure which is true at this time)

[NurseJokerr]

Freaking incredible.

[Elementalism]

I thikn they would have made it. But doubt they would have made it out.

[HC130P8419]

There were a series of rocket on the aft of the plane designed to get it airborne in a matter of feet. If you find the functional take-off video, the plane is wheel's up within 15 feet, and at approx. 300 feet altitude within 100 feet forward distance. It would easily clear out of a stadium, but luckily, they never needed to find out for sure, as the terrorists released the hostages the same day Reagan was elected.

[QsKHavoK]

Wow that sucks, that's some pretty intense fire.

[LinusManning]

I'm guessing the descent arrestor rockets were the cylinders mounted vertically above the main landing gear wheel well correct?

[ATFSCrash]

LinusManning: rgr

[LinusManning]

Sorry, I don't understand what that means.

[ATFSCrash]

rgr = Roger = yes = affirmative

[LinusManning]

ah yes, of course

[comengetit9]

flaming ball of money

[Finger2212]

It doesn't seem like a very smart plan to crash something that large into a soccer field and try to get it back out again. Too much could have gone wrong even if the landing mechanism did work.

[jetpilote]

Ah.... Watch the entire video and read the narration corrections before you comment. What's not smart is your first sentenance.

[TameiHart]

Thanks for finally providing some credible info on this video ATSFCrash.

[scootts12]

dumbass the c130 in the iran hostage rescue was destroyed by a helocopter with a busted wheel trying to take off and being blinded by sand, didnt get enough of altitude and ran into the plane,,

[ATFSCrash]

scootts12: Your are a "dumbass" hateful troll.

This video and discussion is about a test for Operation Credible Sport aka Honey Badger, that was being considered after Operation Eagle Claw failed. The mishap you are talking about was operation eagle claw.

It's priceless to see a flamer, like yourself make a fool of yourself with your own baseless hateful attacks.

[dirtdogz]

Owned.

[sclctrading]

Those rockets were replaced with turbines and british navy had a working model with undisclosed testing sites.

Although how on earth you have this footage of the test is a mystery to me but never the less thanks for the vid.

[c130aviator]

I am a loadmaster with the 40th AS at Dyess. I fly the serial number 74-2065 all the time. You can still see where the rockets were attached!

[BrynMawrYamBag]

They actually salvaged and rebuilt it??

[TheGoldenSphinx]

Rockets on a C-130?! Far out!

[plavins1]

o didnt know than C130 has those rocket brakes or something.:)

[ATFSCrash]

plavins1: Normally they don't, they're only was a few experimental ones that did.

[plavins1]

oh understand thanx.

[RogerGargoyle]

Good to hear that some/all the crew got out.. my back hurts just watching this.

[puresafiforeva]

if they had waited till the aircraft was a couple of feet from the ground, not 10 fucking metres, it would probably have worked. Lack of research and pilot impatience to me, looks like.

[shortskater444]

looks like we got another conspiracy on our hands..

[nickjeschke]

My dad was told about this when he moved onto the base.

[Crediblesport]

Hello,

I sell the Credible sport DVD. See my ebay sales or web site or contact me if you want to purcahse a DVD.

I plan to post more videos on my You Tube Site.

I have been researching this program for 20 years.

Cheers

Credible Sport

[Dreaded88]

Y'know I wonder how much better the C-130 would've pulled off 'Credible Sport'/ 'Honey Badger' if it had been refitted with a Rotodyne type of blade system stemming from the center-top of the wing?

Question to ATFSCrash: were the rockets solid fueled or liquid fueled?

[caustic128]

The C130 can perform a short take off with the assistance of 8 solid rocket boosters. Ive seen it at an air show. looks like they used similar, if not the same type of rockets on the front of this plane.

[dalzilla]

I take it the Program never progressed enough to actually try it in a abandoned stadium once the bugs were worked out? Even after Eagle claw?

[kasra111]

this is not for IRAN dude...you should study more when U steal a video to see where is that come form...

[ATFSCrash]

kasra111: You should read the video description and watch the whole video and study history so you don't make such foolish ignorant reckless slanderous accusations. This was part of a test for a proposed rescue operation to rescue hostages that the Iranians had taken. I have questioned and corrected the original cover story. You need to work on your morality, English skills and comprehension skills and start listening to credible sources.

[ZO6]

thanks for clearing this up.

BTW wikipedia has more detailed info you could add:

Take off and landing capability was as follows to make a ground clearance of 90 feet at 600 feet from the starting point

-8 ASROC engines pointing forward

-on the fuselage side 8 pointing straight down

For takeoff

-8 ASROC engines provided lift pointing back and down

-6 smaller rocket engines (Platypus) 2 on each wing pylon mount

-2 on the rear fuselage to prevent over rotation of the airframe

[ZO6]

Avionics modifications were as follows: A DC-130 type radome with a F.L.I.R. turret was installed on the nose. This F.L.I.R. turret was slaved to the on board computer and in combination with the F.L.I.R. telemetry and mission avionics:

-fired the 8 forward pointing rockets 20 feet above the ground.

-8 pointing straight down to cushion the landing by the wheel wells and fire approx. 6 to 12 inches above the ground.

it seems it would have worked and well based on Crediblesport's other videos

[evilload]

kasra, bad news dude, but this prototype was for a planned rescue of the hostages in Tehran.

[SenorSpode]

Uh....It was indeed for Iran, idiot. Every documentary on the subject uses that specific footage. No other C-130s were ever made or modified to those specifications for any other purpose in history. Ever. You owe ATFSCrash an apology.

[JAwriter28]

What did they think would happen if they put rockets on a C-130 cargo plane?

[ATFSCrash]

JAwriter28: Actually they used rockets successfully before that on the C-130 and thousands of times since then, and offhand I can't think of any other mishaps. The thing different about this mishap is that there were braking rockets and cushion rockets; and the cushion rockets failed to fire. If the cushion rockets fired, the test would have been successful and they probably would have used them on the mission.

[yamamato44]

I'm pretty sure the Blue Angels still use a STOL rocket C-130

[bambino291]

The angels use the rockets for taking off but they don't use breaking rockets.

[BrynMawrYamBag]

FYI...JATO..or Jet Assisted Take Off has been used on C-130's for years.Thats the fancy name for rockets.

[Baowulf00]

JATO and STOL are 2 different things, JATO is for liftoff and STOL was supposed to be for landing. The OP knows his stuff, and realized that the cushion rockets, or the rockets behind the base of the wing and the lower section of the aircraft failed to fire or misfired, which caused the crash landing.

[WolksVagon449]

That was about the coolset crash ever. Good combination of explosions and stuff coming off, and no deaths!

[Squirrel9901]

SHUTUP efesair you noob STOL's are awesome aircraft

they're just trying to improve it

[efesair]

pretty stupid idea this stol adventure. smart people use helicopters for vertical landing and take-off...

[fulcrum2004]

smart people thinks different, you idiot

[ATFSCrash]

efesair: Helicopters was not the first choice because they are a slower easier target and carry less payload. Perhaps you are unaware that they used helicopters in Operation Eagle Claw that crashed and failed miserably, which may have been a blessing in disguise, because if they reached their objective they could've gotten pin down and slaughtered much like in Black Hawk Down. "Stupid"

[admiralnomad]

A C-130 will do more with more payload than any chopper we use. You'd need a fleet of Hueys to carry what that single aircraft can.

[acikul]

Then came cannucks and rescued all of the US hostages; no shots fired.

[krbosak]

First, What you see is JAL not JATO. Second, ATFSCrash has provided us with an interesting thread. That the classic Hercules were used in failed desert rescue attempt, everybody knows and you can read a lot abou it, ATFS doesn't have to provide you with docs on it.

[Teamtigerpaw]

There is a video of a succesfull test I would love to find,Saw it years ago on tv. COOLEST aircraft landing ever.Dont know what keeped the crews eyeballs in ther sockets, Anyone have know where to find that clip??

[Imagunnut]

Did the crew make it? It appears they would have. The JATO (or in this case JAL) seem to be the only things burning except the right wing.

[Imagunnut]

I take that back. I just read a comment that answered my question.

[RedGreen7373]

The Crew did survive. I heard somewhere too was that the pilot only suffered bruising, and the navigator bit a small chunk of his tounge off because he always stuck it out while he was concentrating. But im not sure if that actually happened.

[sierraonezero]

This is a 2 minute video that comprises two, 20 second identical clips of the incident and the remaining time is filled with the text from the description.  Not overly brilliant, eh?

[ATFSCrash]

Since you are not very bright I will spoon feed you.

There are two stories on this mishap, most of us old-timers heard the original so by first showing the clip the people that heard the original story perceived the accident one way, then after reading the correct description of what happened, I show the clip again and the accident is perceived in a much different way. It's basic investigation psychology that demonstrates how much perception can influence an investigation.

[Yukikazehalo]

no, these are completely different. they have huge rockets all over the feusalage in order to slow the C-130 and launch them into the air in a very short distance. remember, the goal of this project was to land them in a soccer stadium. they ones in nam were small rockets to assist on short landing strips w/ a heavy load. and yes, they are one hell of a ride...

[mejia85710]

My dad has been on that fucker on rocket propelled trake offs, it was in Nam.

[graybolt]

It was operation Eagle Claw in which the 8 U.S. servicemen died, when a helicopter crashed into a conventionally equipped C-130 plane. This happened in the Iranian desert, after the rescue attempt was called off due to weather and mechanical troubles.

In the event pictured in this video, all the airmen survived.

[ramairgto72]

Maybe they should dust them off and get those brits out?

[fastboy9]

8 soldiers died in the crash

[ATFSCrash]

I think you are mistaken. When I first saw the video I thought everyone died, because it the first film I saw was clipped even shorter and the smoke and fire looked a lot worse, however I think this is an enhanced version, that has filtered out a lot of the smoke and glare. If I remember correctly everyone lived in this test. It was the rescue attempt that 8 died.

[SenorSpode]

You're right. I read up on this in an old issue of Air Forces Monthly, where they stated that a 2nd of these 3 special planes was on static display on the east coast, complete with JATO hard points and 1/4-inch heat-resistant paint on the JATO blast areas. Earlier in that year, you'll probably remember, two Army Sikorskies collided in a desert sandstorm near Tehran.

[SenorSpode]

Correct on the NOTE: This documentary was created to distract from the aircraft's--and mission's--true purpose.

[ATFSCrash]

Thank you. Now that you mention it, I vaguely seem to remember a story like that. Perhaps that's why it is vague and there are so many stories, ruse, diversions to distract from the rescue mission. The old plausible deniability game.

What you say makes sense, it seems to fit in with the story that the narration is incorrect.