SirPeterHardingsLovechild

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RAF News - Workhorse of the skies celebrates a decade

Papa Sierra

I agree wholeheartedly with TBT (I've heard that it's very comfortable, incidentally!!), I left the mob just before the J was introduced into service. Meeting up with old friends and colleagues, down route, many appeared quite disparaging about the new "Albert" but in a relatively short space of time these same people completely changed their opinions, I suppose like most of us change doesn't come easily,needless to say all the mates I see, far too infrequently, swear by the J. Having no experience of the "new" Herc I can only respectfully submit that if it is half as good as the K it is still an awesome aircraft!!

Cougar

Congrats to both the RAF and RAAF for 10 years of the J.

Spent 7 myself on them and loved every single minute of it. Fantastic aircraft. Looking forward to the years ahead.

Anyone say AC-130J?

scroggs

Well done to the boys and girls of 24 & 30 Sqns and all their supporting peeps. Like all aircraft, the C130J had its introductory hiccups but, as Stoppers and others report, it's matured into an excellent bit of kit and has measurably improved the RAF's ability to deliver tactical AT. I never flew the thing myself, though I did do a little bit of work in the sim in 1996 or 97. That taster left me excited and impatient for the core course, which I was lucky enough to be selected for, but technical and political delays slid the programme too far to the right. I got my two-pilot glass-cockpit conversion via the A340 (after a few more years on clockwork with the B747-200), and know how much of a cqpability and capacity expander that is. So congratulations, and here's to the next 40 or 50 years of service!!

aeroid

Don't knock the Hastings. There are still a few of us left that flew it and learnt a lot about flying from the beast.

aeroid

Though it is a couple of years before the K-model is retired I am interested in any plans for a farewell. I flewthe K on its introduction to UK in 1967 (OCU in USA with USAF) and would be keen to hear from anyone of that ilk.