Les Matheson
May 23rd 08, 05:28 AM
For sure an AC-130, but not sure what model they are calling this one. It is a "One
Off" test model being used for the new 30mm cannon tests. I'm sure that it was off on a
test somewhere.
For all intents and purposes it resembles a U model, but it isn't.
Les F-4C, D, E, G WSO/EWO; AC-130A EWO; MC-13E EWO retired
Who still hangs out at Hurlburt on a daily basis
"Lush Rimshot" > wrote in message
...
> Please excuse the obvious doctoring these images underwent. This C-130 was
> circling east Houston for about 90 minutes this afternoon. Kind of an
> unusual occurrence around here. I'm guessing she was at about 11,000 feet,
> and I had to play with the pixels to eke out some contrast & details. Still
> shows up okay with 8 megapixels at 400mm & ASA 400, but that's still a lot
> of damp sky to shoot through. Especially in May in Houston, where the state
> bird is humidity.
>
> Anyway, someone here might have some insight as to what those little
> mini-domes, bumps and bulges might be on the underside, as well as those
> knobs on either side of the aft fuselage, but especially that...'pole'...
> sticking out from the aft left fuselage. The C-130 has more lives than my
> neighbor's dozen cats, and since I have no idea what this version does, I
> thought I'd ask the group for some better-informed opinion. I'm so out of
> the loop on this one I'm wondering if the long pole could be anything from
> an antenna to home in on illegal micropower radio stations to one of those
> 'burp' guns at 60 rounds a second. Or thereabouts.
>
> We often have some F-16C's from the 147th Texas ANG (I think) out of
> Ellington Field patrolling the the port and Refinery Row, but this a
> different sort of bird, doing a different sort of thing. I'm just curious.
>
> Thanks, KB
>
>
>
>
>
Off" test model being used for the new 30mm cannon tests. I'm sure that it was off on a
test somewhere.
For all intents and purposes it resembles a U model, but it isn't.
Les F-4C, D, E, G WSO/EWO; AC-130A EWO; MC-13E EWO retired
Who still hangs out at Hurlburt on a daily basis
"Lush Rimshot" > wrote in message
...
> Please excuse the obvious doctoring these images underwent. This C-130 was
> circling east Houston for about 90 minutes this afternoon. Kind of an
> unusual occurrence around here. I'm guessing she was at about 11,000 feet,
> and I had to play with the pixels to eke out some contrast & details. Still
> shows up okay with 8 megapixels at 400mm & ASA 400, but that's still a lot
> of damp sky to shoot through. Especially in May in Houston, where the state
> bird is humidity.
>
> Anyway, someone here might have some insight as to what those little
> mini-domes, bumps and bulges might be on the underside, as well as those
> knobs on either side of the aft fuselage, but especially that...'pole'...
> sticking out from the aft left fuselage. The C-130 has more lives than my
> neighbor's dozen cats, and since I have no idea what this version does, I
> thought I'd ask the group for some better-informed opinion. I'm so out of
> the loop on this one I'm wondering if the long pole could be anything from
> an antenna to home in on illegal micropower radio stations to one of those
> 'burp' guns at 60 rounds a second. Or thereabouts.
>
> We often have some F-16C's from the 147th Texas ANG (I think) out of
> Ellington Field patrolling the the port and Refinery Row, but this a
> different sort of bird, doing a different sort of thing. I'm just curious.
>
> Thanks, KB
>
>
>
>
>