The Flying Legend named Hercules

In Greek mythology "Hercules" was the son of Zeus, the dashing and strong male figure that defending the truth and combating crime. Meanwhile, in aerospace technology, Hercules became the legendary name of the heavy transport aircraft are multifunctional and capable of penetrating various weather.

This heavy transport aircraft called Hercules is very appropriate, because in addition to having big body and sturdy, Lockheed-made aircraft has 40.4 meters (132.6 feet) of wing span size, 162.1 m2 (1,745 sq ft) of wing area, length of body reaches 29.8 meters (97.75 feet) and maximum takeoff weight about 79,380 kg (175,505 lbs), is also capable of transporting variety of cargo in it.

Using the turboprop Allison T-56A-7 engine that capable transporting 16,363 kg (36,000 lbs) of normally cargo weighing, with a speed of 621 km/h (335 knots), at an altitude of 3,658 m (12,000 feet). As the military transport aircraft, Hercules can carry about one hundred troops with full equipment, from an objective point of 6,000 km away and can land on a grass runway whose length is at least 400 m.

U.S. Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules. (Pictures from: http://en.wikipedia.org/)

The plane, which is now half a century old is also capable of carrying 64 paratroops with full gear or 74 stretchers for patients to the place that has mileage of 2,000 km with a time of three and a half hours after taking off and returning to base without refueling.

Hercules was originally used to support military operations in war. But with the advantages it has in peacetime this aircraft can also be used as a potential transport aircraft. Such as, for Indonesia, the Hercules serve as "air bridge" that supports the economic development of inter-island and community activities in areas that lack transportation equipment. Given that Indonesia is an archipelago with thousands of islands spread from Sabang to Merauke, which not all of the island could be landed by commercial aircraft.

Cockpit of a Royal New Zealand Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules. (Pictures from: http://en.wikipedia.org/)

With pressurized and air conditioned which are extremely suitable for the tasks that takes comfort in flight in high altitudes, such as aerial mapping and obtain data about the state of air (air seather services) and can be used as VIP aircraft.

In addition to reliable and resilient to weather, Hercules, multi-function, which can be used as transport aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, and water rescue service aircraft, air-to-air tanker refuelling aircraft, weather investigators aircraft, coast guard aircraft, hospital aircraft, forest fire fihgting plane, etc.

Cargo/troop compartment in Swedish Air Force C-130 Hercules. (Pictures from: http://en.wikipedia.org/)

In its big body, Hercules did not refuse to transport various types of war equiptments such as troop transport vehicles, armored vehicles, flak, missile units, portable radar, combat helicopters, and other heavy equipment.

Hercules is very flexible with a wide range of character theater of operations, the thrust generated from the four engine turboprop high-wing and wing structures are wide, making Hercules performing the climb at an amazing speed in the mountainous terrain and the agile movement in low speed if it should be make sharp turns and sudden as it flies through the mountain.

An Indonesian Air Forces Lockheed C-130 Hercules. (Picture from: http://aviation-photo.wijanarko.net/)

Completeness of systems and equipment that reliably makes Hercules can be operated either in the operative area with temperatures reaching 45 degrees as in the desert or on a snowy regions such as in the polar regions. The weather night, rain or other weather types is not an obstacle that is meaningful to Hercules.

The aircraft with C-130 initials is capable of flying at low speed to carry out tasks that require long range of endurance search mission, On the basis of these considerations, Indonesia chose this plane is being able to landing and take off almost all corners homeland territory, though its airstrip was short and limited.

Hercules could be called the all round plane for being able to carry out a variety of military and non-military engagement. Although to carry out the functions and diverse assignments is sometimes necessary to hold the cargo compartment configuration changes, the addition of special equipment or modifications.

The military tasks that can not be performed by Hercules ie interception and dogfight and inverted flight movement, because if the task is done, of course, all cargo from its big bowels can get messy. So many uses and capabilities displayed by Hercules aircraft, so that up to now has grown to more than 40 variants. Its population is much with different versions, spread on five continents and has been used by 70 countries in the world. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BINTANG YUDIANTA | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 14022013]

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