Photo: USAF/Yasuo Osakabe
This 4th of July America celebrated 248 years since it came to be as a nation with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As usual, it was a momentous occasion, marked across the country and all over the world with impressive fireworks shows. And the U.S. Air Force didn't sit this out either.
Unlike what some people seem to believe, two and a half centuries ago the Continental Army did not take over the airports, for the simple reason there were no airports in 1776 (or planes, for that matter). The USAF didn't exist either, but given how it now forms the backbone of the American defensive and offensive forces, it does like to get involved in the celebrations as much as possible.
Each week, the military branch releases several photos it deems most representative of its most recent actions. Last week's release included a pic of a C-130J Super Hercules parked under exploding fireworks, and to me, it kind of seems like the most American thing I've seen this Independence Day.
And I'm not saying that solely because the fireworks come in the colors of the American flag, but also because to many foreign nations the sight of the Super Hercules is almost always greeted with the phrase "the Americans are here." Even if it's not Americans flying the plane...
The aircraft is an offshoot of the mighty C-130 Hercules, the most recent of its kind. It was introduced back in 1996 as a four-engine turboprop transport plane. It is a massive beast, measuring 132 feet (40 meters) from wingtip to wingtip and 112 feet (34 meters) from nose to tail.
I say this thing is instantly recognizable as being American because the aircraft, although deployed in service with no less than 21 other allied nations, it screams United States power through all its seams.
The beast can lift off weighing a simply impressive 164,000 lbs (over 74 tons), of which 46,700 lbs (21 tons) is the weight of the cargo alone. Compared to the Hercules it is derived from, the Super can move in a heartbeat 30 percent more cargo for troop supplies or disaster relief, 44 percent more paratroopers for fighting battles, and 50 percent more Container Delivery System (CDS) bundles, also full with supplies.
In the short time it's been in the air, the plane established itself as a true workhorse, with the fleet of 500 planes already produced flying a combined 2 million+ hours – that's 228 years, or almost as much as America's current age.
The Super Hercules the USAF chose to mark another Independence Day under exploding fireworks flies with the 36th Airlift Squadron. The pick was snapped at the Yokota Air Base in Japan on July 4, during an event there called Celebrate America.
Each week, the military branch releases several photos it deems most representative of its most recent actions. Last week's release included a pic of a C-130J Super Hercules parked under exploding fireworks, and to me, it kind of seems like the most American thing I've seen this Independence Day.
And I'm not saying that solely because the fireworks come in the colors of the American flag, but also because to many foreign nations the sight of the Super Hercules is almost always greeted with the phrase "the Americans are here." Even if it's not Americans flying the plane...
The aircraft is an offshoot of the mighty C-130 Hercules, the most recent of its kind. It was introduced back in 1996 as a four-engine turboprop transport plane. It is a massive beast, measuring 132 feet (40 meters) from wingtip to wingtip and 112 feet (34 meters) from nose to tail.
I say this thing is instantly recognizable as being American because the aircraft, although deployed in service with no less than 21 other allied nations, it screams United States power through all its seams.
The beast can lift off weighing a simply impressive 164,000 lbs (over 74 tons), of which 46,700 lbs (21 tons) is the weight of the cargo alone. Compared to the Hercules it is derived from, the Super can move in a heartbeat 30 percent more cargo for troop supplies or disaster relief, 44 percent more paratroopers for fighting battles, and 50 percent more Container Delivery System (CDS) bundles, also full with supplies.
In the short time it's been in the air, the plane established itself as a true workhorse, with the fleet of 500 planes already produced flying a combined 2 million+ hours – that's 228 years, or almost as much as America's current age.
The Super Hercules the USAF chose to mark another Independence Day under exploding fireworks flies with the 36th Airlift Squadron. The pick was snapped at the Yokota Air Base in Japan on July 4, during an event there called Celebrate America.
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