Since the 1950s, one of the most famous aircraft to support airborne forces is the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Make sure you admire this legend of the air during the International Sanicole Airshow on 21 & 22 September 2024, courtesy of the Polish air force.
The large four-engined C-130 is known the world over for its versatility and reliability. Its role in life-saving missions delivering aid to remote areas, either by landing on rough terrain or performing airdrops are legendary. The aircraft first flew in 1951 and modernized variants remain in service today.
One of the current operators is the Polish airforce, who fly eight C-130E and H-variants. The C-130H is the same type that left the Belgian air force at the end of 2020 and the roar of its Allison T-56 turboprop engines will certainly still remind you of its rich Belgian air force history. The Polish C-130s are based at Powidz, near Poznan in Central-Poland. Inside its large cargo hold, it can carry up to 64 airborne troops or 92 passangers, or cargo up to a maximum weight of 19 tons over a distance of 3800 kilometers without refuelling.
During its debut display at Sanicole, the Polish C-130 will certainly demonstrate its remarkable agility despite its impressive size, and it may even drop something to wow you even more during their performance.
Airborne troops keep paying a vital role in modern warfare today, 80 years after Operation Market Garden. The C-130 is therefore a welcome contribution to commemorate the heroism by pilots, crews and airborne troops during World War II in the wider area of Hechtel-Eksel.
Photo Credit: Slawek Hesja Krajniewski
