C130e At Holsworthy Nsw

[Demon50]

According to the Database entry, C130E A97-172 was retired to Holsworthy Army Base on 28 March 2000 for load training.

Did the aircraft actually fly in to Holsworthy or was the fuselage hulk trucked in from Richmond or elsewhere.

Also, does anyone know the length of the Holsworthy strip and if it's capable of operating F/A18s ? A message on another Board says that F/A18s will be based there during the forthcoming APEC meeting which I find hard to believe.

[darren.crick]

I took the information re: the Herc there and it was provided by a visitor to the place. I can not advise either way on how it got there.

nor on the hornets...

[Luig]

NEW SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING FACILITY AT HOLSWORTHY

Government officials have opened the new Special Forces Training Facility (SFTF) at Holsworthy Barracks (NSW), concomitant with the farewell of Sydney-based members of the Special Operations Task Group preparing to deploy into Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan as part of 'Operation Slipper'. Defence Minister Nelson says the new $94m SFTF will be "one of only four of its kind in the world, providing leading-edge training to counter-terrorism forces." The new facilities will include indoor and outdoor multi-level electronic and live firing ranges as well as a variety of training environments for 4 RAR Commando. The new SFTF is part of a larger project (Land 132 & Joint Project 2097) that will see the construction of new office accommodation and an upgrade of infrastructure at Holsworthy Barracks.

Twelve 'Black Hawk' helicopters from Townsville have also been relocated to a brand new Army airfield facility at Holsworthy.

http://defence-data.com/current/page37816.htm

Measured by Google the runway is 2,200 feet - not Hornet material I suspect. Good for helos though. :-) Without knowing I would guess that any Hornets would be based at NAS Nowra during APEC.

This post has been edited by Luig on Aug 8 2007, 07:28 PM

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[Demon50]

Thanks for the replies so far guys - that airfield looks way too short for Hornets and I presume the C130E didn't fly in either.

[herkman]

Whilst I do not know the answer, an E model with minimum fuel could have flown into Holsworthy.

Need to be one of the better pilots

Regards

Col

[Luig]

Another Google Map showing the measured runway length (yellow line) 2,200 feet.

This post has been edited by Luig on Aug 8 2007, 07:57 PM

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[Demon50]

Thanks Luig - now I know how to measure distance on Google maps - something I haven't been able to do before !!!!

Cheers

Bob

[Dean]

Hi Bob, I am sure you will find that the Herc was flown in there, afterall there was no need to take off again. I recall no Herc fuselage leaving Richmond in any fashion other than flying.

As far as what is being said on the other boards about the Hornets going there to support APEC, who ever said that is full of crap. The biggest question that would be asked is "why"?

Why would they move away from all their support equipment and personnel? What about security on the aircraft that would inevitably be armed. Also why operate from an airfield that would not allow the aircraft to gain sufficient altitude to combat any threat? Even if they could operate from Holsworthy there would be no great advantage to do so when Williamtown offers everything already.

[darren.crick]

perhaps some journo thought, hey the blackhawks are there so the hornets must be as well...

[Demon50]

Thanks Darren - it would have made an interesting sight on arrival if it did fly in. But I guess that in Vietnam and other places all around the world, short field landings were commonplace for C130 crews.

And it wasn't a journo who made mention of the F/A18s at Holsworthy, just a serial poster (pest) on a Message Board who thinks he knows it all but is often proved wrong.

[Luig]

Map from an online PDF about update to the airfield and facilities:

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[herkman]

In late 1968, in an empty C130E, gross around 80,000lbs, with a USAF TAC pilot flying, landing role 450FT.

I too doubt of the airplane was shipped in, the task of getting it down to a road width would be not on.

2000FT would be enough to take safe off so long as the weight was down.

Reminds a bit of the story told, which may or not be true.

C130 plodding along doing its thing, when along comes a Mirage who really strutted his stuff. HA HA he says to the C130 pilot let see you do that.

The reply comes back, watch me cus I can do things you cant.

Mirage sits back and after 5 minutes he cannot help himself. What are you doing, to which the C130 pilots says.

The moves that you cannot.

I got out of my seat

Went for a walk round the back.

Had a pee

Made myself a sandwich and a cup of coffee



Lot of rivaly between the truck drivers and the knucleheads

Col