Workhorse - RAAF C-130s

In mid-March 1997, the yacht Queen Charlotte was being skippered from New Zealand to Japan by Australian Bob Cornell, with four passengers. On 19 March, the yacht was located approximately 600 nm east of Cairns when it ran into Cyclone Justin and its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) was activated. In response, Ben Charters and his crew from 37 Squadron flew A97-181 on a search-and-rescue mission. This episode deta...

This episode features a wide-ranging discussion of the flight engineer category and its place on the C-130 Hercules. Tony Hall also covers his operational C-130 experience, along with his transition onto Caribous and then as a Loadmaster on C-130Js. The discussion ranges into:

• RAAF B-707 operations based in Kyrgyzstan (where Tony was an Operations Officer)
• Impact of the Safety system on Flight Engineer authorisations
• The latter ye...

Gav Nicholson recounts his involvement with systems integration on RAAF C-130Hs during the late 1990s to the late 2000s, including electronic warfare self-protection, the FMS-800 flight management system, and other modifications of that era. Also discussed are PNG operations, Operations Falconer (Iraq 2003), Shaddock (PNG), Catalyst (Iraq, as C-130J Detachment Commander) and a mission on Spitfire (East Timor) during which his crew ...

Royal Australian Air Force C-130s airdrop parachutists and equipment to force project Australian military capabilities. C-130s flew in formation as a tactic to concentrate Army parachutists on a target area as quickly as possible (thereby minimising the risk to the paratroopers and aircraft). 

In this episode of 'Workhorse', Andrew "Stretch" Elliott discusses the many factors that formation lead pilots considered...

The Royal Australian Air Force's C-130J fleet was acquired in 1999, but it was not fitted with electronic warfare self-protection systems. When C-130Hs deployed to the Middle East in early 2003, 37 Squadron had only just begun training its C-130J crews in tactical procedures. Thus when Middle East operations were extended into 2004, 36 Squadron's C-130Hs remained in the Middle East on an extended deployment because there ...

Reports arising in 1996 from Australian-flagged fishing vessels indicated the presence of dozens of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing vessels in the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Exclusive Economic Zone.  

In response, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) sought an enforcement action and requested Defence assistance with search, reconnaissance and apprehension. The first of these ADF missions took place...

The FMS-800 flight management system was installed on RAAF C-130Hs in 1999 under Project AIR 5195. The FMS-800 delivered a range of enhanced capabilities for C-130Hs making them even more ideally suited for the Airborne Operations and Special Operations support roles. These capabilities included GPS precision navigation, airdrop navigation, receiver autonomous-integrity monitoring (RAIM), jamming protection, and it was integrated w...

On 26 December 2004, an earthquake measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale struck north of Simeulue Island in the Indian Ocean. The earthquake lifted an estimated 30 cubic kilometres of water which radiated from the epicentre devasting coastal communities around the Indian Ocean. Banda Aceh was hardest hit, and the RAAF responded immediately.

This episode features 36 Squadron pilot Charlie Siedentopf who flew one of the first t...

WARNING: This episode discusses a graphic account of the 2002 Bali bombing and related PTSD issues.

On 12 Oct 2002 two bombs exploded in the Kuta district, Bali, Indonesia, destroying two popular night clubs – Paddy’s Irish Bar and the nearby Sari Club – showering the patrons with shrapnel and causing fierce fires at both sites. More than 500 people were either killed or injured in the blasts; 202 died from their injuries ...

Royal Australian Air Force C-130s arrived in Doha 11 February 2003 to support Australian, US and Coalition efforts as part of the US-led invasion of Iraq. 

In this episode of 'Workhorse', Anthony 'Locky' Lock describes his role as a Liaison Officer supporting Australian Special Forces air mobility requirements during the early stages of Operation Falconer and his deployment on Operation Catalyst (mid-20...

In early January 2002, Rob 'Soky' Sokel captained the first RAAF C-130 mission to Afghanistan - under Operation Catalyst. In this episode you can hear Soky describing this epic mission with all its challenges:

• Scrounging for equipment
• Being hit by lightning
• Unable to pay contracted support agencies (loading and fuel)
• Making a wrong turn and being confronted by armed guards
• Running late for their slot time into the area of ...

On 2 July 1997 civil war erupted in Cambodia. Nations rushed to evacuate non-combatants. 

This episode details the Australian evacuation which was conducted by 36 Squadron, under the name Operation Vista. This marked the first use of C-130H electronic warfare equipment on an operation. The discussion with Dave Steel and Jon Kain focuses on the last flight of the operation which they flew in a thunderstorm using night visio...

The Pong Su was a drug-running freighter that was chased down by Australian authorities and apprehended under the ADF's Operation Tartan (2003). That operation required 24/7 surveillance, and 36 Squadron participated by conducting two maritime surveillance missions with one of its C-130Hs (A97-006).

In this episode, Nick McCowan relates his mission on Operation Tartan, along with tales from his RAF career and his time...

During the British Oxygen Company solo around-the-world yacht race, Isabelle Autissier departed the Kerguelen Islands on 17 December 1994, heading east to sail south of Australia. Her 60-foot boat, Ecureuil Poitou-Charentes II, sailed into stormy 60-knot winds and rough seas in the Southern Ocean, and both her masts snapped. She set off her EPIRB (emergency beacon) in the hope of being rescued.

Dean 'T-bag' Tetl...