CAL FIRE Air Tanker 120, formerly Coast Guard 1709, arriving at McClellan, August 12, 2022. By Mike McKeig.Another of the seven C-130 aircraft that the Coast Guard will eventually transfer to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection flew into Sacramento McClellan Airport today. In the Coast Guard it was known as #1709 but will become Air Tanker 120 when the conversion is complete and it is operated by CAL FIRE.
Like some of the other Coast Guard C-130s that have come to McClellan after having work done it appears to have 98 percent new livery, the exception being the rudder. It will eventually receive the other half of the zero to complete the T-120 designation. The delay may have something to do with balancing the rudder after the conversion is largely complete.
We were told there are no obvious external indications of retardant drop doors or a tank having been installed.
Below is what it looked like five years before the transfer and tanker conversion effort for the seven C-130s began in 2013.
A Coast Guard No. 1709, October, 2008. This is one of the seven HC-130Hs being transferred to the CAL FIRE. Photo by Bob Garrard.More photos of T-120 arriving at McClellan today:
CAL FIRE Air Tanker 120, formerly Coast Guard 1709, arriving at McClellan, August 12, 2022. By Mike McKeig.
CAL FIRE Air Tanker 120, formerly Coast Guard 1709, arriving at McClellan, August 12, 2022. By Mike McKeig.Thanks Mike!
19 Comments
So, when do the first C-5s arrive?
Worked on C-130 aircraft in 65. What a great aircraft, can really take some rough handling. Great choice for fire service.
Couple questions, why so long for conversations?
Also, now we’re getting ‘retired’ beat up coast guard equipment. One would presume the CC is replacing these with newer equipment? Kinda makes ya wonder…
You need to do a Google search on this issue.
There are a lot of “things” that went on to get the ex-USAF C-130’s to CalFire.
Wheeling and dealing, back-stabbing, politics, money, money, more back-stabbing.
The Herc’s that the USCG were forced to give up are not beat-up piles of mung.
They may be old and they may not have all of the most current updates to make them international fliers, but they are solid airframes. I’ll bet that given the opportunity, Coulson would not kick them out of bed for eating crackers.
To include USFS inability to be ready or even have a PLAN for operating a “fleet” of large category transport aircraft. Better in the hands of Contractor /MRO who can handle operations, training and whatnot..the only thing MAYBE…CWB inspections..possible replacement…tanking and paint…oh and money!!
As an AM3 in the CG on 130B’s never once did I see a beat up CG C-130. I have been over every inch of our HC130B Fleet (’80s)… including (when I was skinny) making my way slowly but surely out to wing the tips… inside the fuel cell to scrape sealant and reseal due to small JP5 drops that don’t stop dripping on Ramp. The only major Maintenance I ever sawr was removing engines to X-ray mounts with no found faults. Now the CG A/C Fix’d Wing you might be referring to were the HU16E… C131. 131’s had a 55 gallon drum of recip oil strapped to a wooden skid and the floor. google engines on a CG131. You’ll see why.
Question: How do we stop evolving threatening wildfires throwing fire brands a quarter mile ahead from the main fire. How far behind is the aviation program to cope with what is occurring today? Continue to see one-acre fires escaping into mega fires. Maybe the C 5 and 747, Airbus 350,380 are not too far into the future. One solution is after dark delivery of retardant. The technology has been around for twenty years.
HUDs and NVGs in desert Storm, 30 years ago. As ‘Fusion” centers come on line, then we got the beginning of a revolution.
As long as we avoid, the “squad leader in the sky” syndrome!
when, every “type 1” Or, IC, has a SAT Phone, and the Protocols in-place to use them, This becomes a “Force Multiplier”. As the incident, Geo location is identified, OES Offices should be Down loading. GIS and. Map/imagery data.
Say.. start within 2 nautical Miles. Get a dozen. Chiefs, and Captains, to compile a standard “Wish List”.
and… A stage 2, for the extended” effort?
I’m, obviously, Not a firefighter, I Have, been to “War” in the cyber Age.
Just My 2 Cents!
Fire and Ice come to my mind when I see these beauties. I was an equipment operator at Siple Station in Antarctica in the late 1980s. I loaded the ski-equiped Hercs operated by the Navy at the time. The sound of the engines still turns my eyes skyward today. Just as the old S-2s did when I was a firefighter near Grass Valley Air Attack base in the 1990s. Yes the VLATS today are awesome and there is much more to be learned about aerial operations, but my old school experiences make me feel young again as I see and hear these magnificent aircraft. Thanks to this website I continue to learn and appreciate all that the younger generation is innovating. This old dog is learning new tricks, even if he can not play the game anymore.
USCG HC130 #1709 was built in ‘83. As a USCG AM3 I was a HC130B guy late ‘70s. OurAir Station had 3 HC130B’s. From what I remember were 1957-58-59 era. No Wing Tanks. C-130’s are owned by just about every (somewhat friendly) country on earth. Have been in the back on Max-Effort Max-Effort landings and take offs. (No Skis No JATO), CG 130 Missions are- Fisheries SAR ELT Replenish LORAN stations…years back. We were at the time the only Service allowed to shut down 2 engines during flight to conserve JP5 usually at 500 ft. AGL Ramp & Door open. Yes most likely the hardest 1709 worked was at an AK AirSta. Scotia NY USAF 130 Unit had Skis. From a distance You can spot a Scotia 130 by its International Orange Vertical Stabilizer.when I was offered a seat to join a Scotia 130 on a South Pole mission? Well it was somewhere cold. Passed it up because of a possible Grounding write up which could turn into a long vacation. My parting words are CG 130’s aren’t abused with overweight cargo ect. There Nice Machines with mainly long flying hour missions. That’s my story. Mr. Blagg you got me going on the 130 thing. The Fire Service has some nice cared for 130’s. Have Fun.
There could be a new single engine air tanker in the near future, Firecatcher F45,
as featured on this site. Air Tractor is a stellar company that has produced exceptional agricultural aircraft for over fifty years. The F45 with a tank capacity of over 1100 U.S. gallon and stay on the fire for over four hours snorkeling water (ram ingestion) similar to a Sky Crane.
Military Crane Fun Facts: “A” Models= 20,000 lbs single point max “B” Models 25,000 lbs. single Point max. An Erickson Crane Swung by our Crane Unit at KBDL years back for a MRB Swap and Tracking on our ramp. It was an “A” Model with fairly large Wing tanks to extend Flight Time I guess. One mounted by the MLG on each side. As a F/E I remember a couple things… the Bee Model Crane Fuel Load is 1292 Gallons of JP-4. A bit more over wing. By the Book Flight time was 2.4 hours. Yea the engines really don’t change the wining music with 10 G’s of external Weight but must burn more gas. What I am getting at is 4 hours of Snorkeling sounds a bit too too much for a Crane. I Think.
Anyone know the ETA of the RADS II systems from Coulson?
Last thing I heard was a long window for one of the Cal-Fire Herks going in service (able to drop) was between end of 2022 and summer of 2023.
We wrote about that here:
https://fireaviation.com/2022/05/13/cal-fire-director-gives-update-on-c-130-air-tankers/
Blame the Air Force and Coast Guard for the hold up. The End, as of now..
Who’s responsible for re-painting these aircraft?
And, does anybody know what the repaints cost?
1969 130 Paint Job was $91,000 per Google.
Will they also receive the collins aerospace 8 blade prop upgrade?
Personally I wouldn’t change props. Why change something that has worked and is well proven. The more parts that are moving… the more problems.. and higher $$$. Knot sure if I was in a VFW but did hear in the early stages of those new props sent a microscopic vibration thru the Airframe and Fatigued the crew too early.
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