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For over two decades, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Lockheed C-130 Hecules have fought wildfires with the Mobile Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS). In the late 1980s, former Air Force C-130As were transferred to civilian owners and modified with tanks to carry 3,000 gallons of fire retardent slurry.
Lockheed C-130E Hercules of the 146th Tactical Airlift Wing (146TAW) from the Van Nuys California Air National Guard Base performs a MAFFS water drop demonstration at the Naval Air Station Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 26, 1985. Spiralling clouds form in the low pressure vortices streaming from the propeller blade tips.
C-130E of the 146TAW from Van Nuys performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 19, 1986.
C-130E of the 146TAW from Van Nuys performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 8, 1988.
C-130E of the 146TAW from the Channel Islands Air National Guard Base performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 28, 1989. The 146TAW had moved from Van Nuys to a new facility on the far side of the runway from NAS Pt. Mugu at the end of 1988.
C-130B 58-0723 of the Air Force Reserve performs a MAFFS demonstration at the March Air Force Base Airshow on November 11, 1989.
Hemet Valley Flying Service C-130A N131FF, Tanker 81 at the Santa Barbara Air Attack Station during the Painted Cave Fire on June 28, 1990. Tanker 81 served the Air Force as 56-0530. It has been registered to Aero Firefighting Service Incorporated since July 24, 1990. At last report it was stored at Chandler Memorial Airport, Arizona.
Tanker 81 taxis to Runway 25 at the Santa Barbara Airport on June 28, 1990.
Tanker 81 on approach to land on Runway 25 on June 28, 1990.
Spiralling clouds stream from the propeller blade tips of Tanker 81 as it takes off from Runway 25 on June 28, 1990.
C-130E of the 146TAW drops a load of retardent on the Painted Cave Fire on June 28, 1990.
TBM Incorporated C-130A N466TM, Tanker 64 on approach to land on Runway 25 on July 15, 1990. Tanker 64 served the Air Force as 57-0466. TBM registered it on August 18, 1989. Tanker 64 was sighted at Mojave in March 2006.
Spiralling clouds stream from the propeller blade tips of Tanker 64 as it takes off from Runway 25 on July 15, 1990.
C-130E of the 146TAW performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 13, 1990.
C-130E 62-1833 of the 146TAW performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on July 6, 1991, partially obscured by smoke rising from pyrotechnics detonated during an air-to-ground attack demonstration.
C-130E 62-1833 of the 146TAW performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on July 6, 1991.
C-130E 62-1081 of the Air Force Reserve performs a MAFFS demonstration at the Reno Air Races at Stead Field on September 15, 1991.
C-130E 62-1862, Tanker 6 of the 146th Airlift Wing (146AW) at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 1, 1994.
Tanker 6 at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 1, 1994.
Spiralling clouds stream from the propeller blade tips of Tanker 6 as it performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 1, 1994.
Lockheed C-130E Hercules tankers of the 146th Airlift Wing perform fire retardant drop demonstrations at the Naval air Weapons Station Pt. Mugu airshow in 1992 and 1994.
C-130E Tanker 4 of the 146AW at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on September 23, 1995.
Tanker 4 of the 146AW performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on September 23, 1995.
Tanker 4 of the 146AW performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 5, 1996.
Tanker 6 of the 146AW performs a MAFFS demonstration at the NAS Pt. Mugu Airshow on April 25, 1998.
Butler Aircraft Company C-130A N531BA, Tanker 67 at the Santa Barbara Air Attack Station on May 10, 2002. Tanker 67 served the Air Force as 56-0531. Butler Aircraft Company registered it on March 8, 1991.
Tanker 67 on approach to land on Runway 25 during the Bouquet Canyon Fire on May 11, 2002.
Tanker 67 on approach to land on Runway 25 on May 11, 2002.
Tanker 67 landing on Runway 25 on May 12, 2002.
Tanker 67 taking off from Runway 7 on May 12, 2002.
Hawkins Powers C-130A N131HP, Tanker 131 on approach to land on Runway 25 on May 12, 2002. Tanker 131 served the Air Force as 56-0534. It was sold to Pride Capitol Group LLC on July 25, 2005.
Tanker 131 taxiing to Runway 25 on May 12, 2002.
Tanker 131 taxiing to Runway 25 on May 12, 2002.
Tanker 131 on approach to land on Runway 25 on May 12, 2002.
Tanker 67 taxiing to Runway 25 on May 12, 2002.
Tanker 67 taxiing to Runway 25 on May 16, 2002.
Tanker 67 on approach to land on Runway 25 on May 16, 2002.
Tanker 67 on approach to land on Runway 25 on May 16, 2002.
Spiralling clouds stream from the propeller blade tips of Tanker 67 as it takes off from Runway 25 on May 16, 2002.
TBM Incorporated C-130A N473TM, Tanker 63 on approach to land on Runway 25 during the Wolf Fire on June 3, 2002. Tanker 63 served the Air Force as 56-0473. TBM registered it on August 18, 1989.
Tanker 63 taxiing to Runway 25 on June 3, 2002.
On June 17, 2002, Hawkins Powers C-130A N130HP, Tanker 130 suffered a main wing box failure and crashed as it was fighting a fire near Walker, California. Pilot Steven Wass, 42, of Gardnerville, Nevada; co-pilot Craig Labare, 36, of Loomis, California; and crew member Michael Davis, 59, of Bakersfield, California were killed in the crash. The civilian C-130A tanker fleet was immediately grounded. Only military C-130s continue to be used in the role of firefighting tanker.
Aerial tankers
News10.net article about the loss of Tanker 130.
ReviewJournal.com article about the NTSB report of the loss of Tanker 130.
Web site of the Associated Airtanker Pilots
Butler Aircraft Company web site.
National Interagency Fire Center.
National Incident Information Center.
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