RICHARD GATLING would be so proud today - AC-130 GUN SHIP

[Gil Boyd]

It is configured the same as the SF ones at Mildenhall so one can assume that is so

[Vincent]

Does anyone know which model of C130 the AC130 on the youtube video is based? I noticed that it has external wing fuel tanks so presumably it would be a pre C130J model?

Correct. They are not J models. They are converted MC-130W & C-130H models.

The AC-130J “Ghostrider” is supposed to be operational in fiscal 2017.

[Flying10uk]

Did the U.S Air Force actually put fuel in the wing tanks of it's AC130 & C130 fleet? I was once told that the RAF never put fuel in the wing tanks of it's older C130 fleet, the pre C130J models.

[Vincent]

I think someone was having you on. Most of the fuel capacity is internal (in the wings and ctr).

[Flying10uk]

I meant external wing tanks, Vincent. Apologies for the way I worded it but I can't call them drop tanks because they don't.

[Sentryduty]

I can't call them drop tanks because they don't.

Can't do that, those things are expensive, and there isn't a war on...

However on the Harrier for certain they can be ditched when required. In fact, one of my Platoon's first missions in Afghanistan was to go and fetch a bunch of deployable stores that were jettisoned by a Harrier that was experiencing difficulties just after takeoff and had to return to Kandahar airfield.
We were sent to go recapture these items from the scavenging locals just before dark, we found most of the bits, then one of those biblical sandstorms sandstorm rolled in, and we had to shelter in place with nothing but our daybag gear for the duration. I made a small breathing tent with my ranger blanket by wrapping it around my head and listened to the small rocks rattle my helmet all night between sentry shifts. Miserable, and when the storm subsided just before daybreak, our pick up arrived and the Brit. Liason officer judged all of our booty as scrap and cast it back into the desert, it was a very important mission you can plainly see.

The difficulties the Harrier was having? It got a flat tire on takeoff, and had to hover land slightly more carefully than usual, and I am pretty damn sure we watched the exact plane land safety just as we were boarding the Chinook's to go look for his lost aluminium.

Typical Biblical Sandstorm shown for reference:

[Flying10uk]

I did once ask a RAF maintenance engineer/supervisor who worked on the RAF's fleet of C130 aircraft if it was possible to "drop" the external wing tanks of the C130 and after looking less than impressed at my question/suggestion he said no.

[JerryEAL]

AC130 might put the A-10 out of business, if it could put the Hellfire down range. That was impressive.

[Vincent]

I meant external wing tanks, Vincent. Apologies for the way I worded it but I can't call them drop tanks because they don't.

Oh. Those are called “pylon tanks”.

Most US 130’s don’t have an inflight refueling capability. So they do use the pylon tanks.

I can see the RAF not needing to use the Pylon tanks often. Europe is not that big. They would use them on long flights. I think some also have an inflight refueling capability.

[Vincent]

AC130 might put the A-10 out of business, if it could put the Hellfire down range. That was impressive.

The Hellfire was part of the MC-130W “Dragon Spear” program. Now it’s called the AC-130W.

Here’s a video of JarHeads firing Hellfires.