RAF Provides a C-130J to the Blue Angels

[Airbubba]

I didn't realize that the Navy and Marine KC-130T's were still grounded. :eek:

Tyler Rogoway writes:

Eight months after the most deadly crash for the USMC in nearly a decade and half, the Navy and Marine Corps' fleet of KC-130T tanker-transport aircraft remain grounded. As a result the Blue Angels have been without their beloved 'Fat Albert' airlift support plane, leaving a gaping hole in the team's on-demand logistical needs and a favorite part of their air show act. Now it seems the Pentagon has sourced a replacement—from the Royal Air Force.

The move is an interesting one on multiple levels. First off, NAVAIR decided it could not spare a single aircraft from its own KC-130J inventory, of which it has roughly 53 in service, nor could the USAF spare a C-130 airframe apparently either. On the other hand, apparently the Royal Air Force has C-130Js to spare, which stands in stark contrast to what was widely viewed as an airlift deficit over the last decade and a half, although clearly the drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan helped with this issue considerably.

Blue Angels Getting C-130J From Royal Air Force To Replace KC-130T Fat Albert Transport - The Drive (http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/19570/blue-angels-getting-c-130j-from-royal-air-force-to-replace-kc-130t-fat-albert-transport)

[ZH875]

They will have to rename it 'Fast Albert'

[jimjim1]

I presume that the RAF have negotiated to have it handed back with the rockets on? (22 secs in)

https://youtu.be/ACr19I3gZmc?t=22

[parabellum]

Hope the RAF have cleared the backlog of young would be British Army paratroopers waiting to do their initial qualifying jumps? ;)

[Mil-26Man]

The link to the original fedbizopps source can be found here

https://twitter.com/GarethJennings3/status/977186913269448705

[Navy_Adversary]

I took part in a Fat Albert display complete with JATO at the Reno Air Races, I think it must have been 1998/9 time.
Great experience.

[NutLoose]

Will that be a loan or permanent?

[Herod]

Can we have "Provided by the BRITISH Royal Air Force" painted in large letters down the side? I inserted BRITISH because a lot of folk don't understand the simple Royal Air Force.

[Wander00]

No, just paint "THE" in large capital letters

[NutLoose]

Rent A Fleet

[ian16th]

No, just paint "THE" in large capital letters
Plus something mentioning a 100th Birthday next week :ok:

[melmothtw]

Will that be a loan or permanent?

Permanent. One of the 10 now being retired.

[NutLoose]

Thanks, that's what made me ask as I had heard they were retiring some with the A400 coming on stream.

[Fareastdriver]

If there is an RAF crew flying it we won't hear the last of it when they come back with their Blue Angel flying suits.

They will probably be lynched by the Royal Navy.

[melmothtw]

Thanks, that's what made me ask as I had heard they were retiring some with the A400 coming on stream.

Retiring 10 short-bodies of the 24-strong fleet, to leave 14 long-bodies. Besides this one to the Blue Angles, some already gone to Bangladesh and Bahrain I believe.

[chevvron]

The Daily Express has just picked up this story, implying the sale was 'brokered' by the Red Arrows!

[carlos755]

Anyone know the hours and cycles for the RAF C-130Js?

[Airbubba]

From The Aviationist:

U.S. Navy Blue Angels Get New “Fat Albert”June 25, 2019 (https://theaviationist.com/2019/06/)
Stefano D'Urso (https://theaviationist.com/author/stefano-durso/) The recently retired C-130T will be replaced by a surplus C-130J from the UKOn June 24, 2019 NAVAIR (Naval Air Systems Command) announced (http://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Navy-Flight-Demonstration-Squadron-receive-Fat-Albert-replacement/Mon-06242019-1514) that the acquisition of a new “Fat Albert”, the Blue Angels (https://theaviationist.com/2019/05/02/these-photos-of-the-f-22-raptor-flying-with-the-blue-angels-are-some-of-the-best-aerial-shots-youll-ever-see/)’ logistics cargo plane, has been approved on June 13. The iconic C-130T is being replaced by a C-130J Super Hercules, which will be delivered in spring 2020 following a $29.7 million contract awarded to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.

The “new” C-130J is actually a divested UK aircraft and was chosen because of the major cost savings. According to the statement provided by NAVAIR “cost savings associated with acquisition of the used aircraft and other airworthiness requirements is approximately $50 million less than the cost of a new aircraft.”

The acquisition of the surplus aircraft from the United Kingdom was due to “high operational tempo and current in demand nature of Navy assets” that prevented the Navy from just taking the replacement aircraft from the fleet.

The former C-130T Fat Albert (https://theaviationist.com/2014/03/06/fat-albert-flyby/) (BUNO 164763) has been with the Blue Angels since 2002 and was retired in May 2019, after flying more than 30,000 hours in support of the team. One of the main highlights that made Fat Albert famous was the jet-assisted takeoff performed during air shows until 2009, when the last JATO bottle stocks ran out.

The Blue Angels will continue flying Navy or Marine Corps C-130s wearing the standard grey paint scheme, nicknamed “Ernie” by the team, until the replacement aircraft is complete.

[SASless]

No C-130's at the US MilitarySurplus Yard in Arizona that would work I guess!



https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x540/image_8e42ad5d69db6e4833e32ec9a70fd0ccf9d35e45.png

[tdracer]

One of the main highlights that made Fat Albert famous was the jet-assisted takeoff performed during air shows until 2009, when the last JATO bottle stocks ran out.

Really? JATO bottles are no longer being made and no longer available? I was under the impression that they were still being used for ski equipped C130 STOL - such as the Greenland Ice Cap and Antarctica.
About 8 years ago we went to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to some cold weather testing of the 747-8. Walking around the community, the number of used JATO bottles was amazing - they were used for fences, lawn furniture, all sorts of things. I figured the need hadn't gone away...

[Davef68]

No C-130's at the US MilitarySurplus Yard in Arizona that would work I guess!




No Js though

[chopper2004]

I with many others were de camped outside EGSC this morning (me it was half hour walk from my office / place) and nice weather so here are my photos of new Fat Albert making tis maiden flight first air test .

cheers


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/45c4da50_64b8_45f0_91c7_7a7e622a337a_4f1cbb4a18e3dbe4921d19b 6c0b8a40e717b00d2.jpeg
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https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/f01b0938_dac7_49b5_97e3_e3508ad2c68a_c13442269ee10c8e421da91 2697637b3ec27a800.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/db0199be_c780_4672_a27f_412975ccc211_ecafcc299ee5e7f8fa69d74 78f9258074e8ac5cd.jpeg
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[treadigraph]

Ah, is that what I noticed on ADSB out of Cambridge and doing some racetrack orbits over north Norfolk this morning?

[chopper2004]

Wandered over to EGsC this afternoon as Fat Albert conducted its second air test this afternoon, early evening. These included four touch and gos then off to sunny Norfolk for an hour or so more air Tests. A nice surprise when I it did a fast low approach back to EGSC then another circuit, before landings. So here are my photos.

cheers

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/8e8985bd_d358_496d_9d6f_590b1f847f8c_2b48121fb7fc84bc2374845 ece3b118ae14fbc22.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/28890d9a_62ac_4561_94d2_b6fbc55d1836_aacb69311049be7c71930d7 214ea7a61715fa3a1.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/14018722_e7c9_410a_91c5_31dee35de89d_a99de45d304d10669fcfeb3 c736e721f3502b207.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/b50c89d8_b813_45e4_ba1e_39a576761c94_810630391bd09c096ca6fa7 b696a26c324af71b7.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/e002d8e7_99af_415a_9032_6b1e1ae50378_6b13143ddfd1ac10aea301c 7ba22781beeb8b2f2.jpeg
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https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/80544120_70a5_4465_be50_eb3ec3b36656_d31f0707579cd439d306336 0462398d647b9979d.jpeg
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https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/34f03dd5_8a8d_430a_a9c7_cbfbeaa6db92_ea2f4acbe29cc48c256cdcb 80a1deb79d92c770e.jpeg

[Valiantone]

It left on delivery at around 9am today