Pope retires senior warfighters Published Feb. 9, 2007 By 1st Lt. Neil Hoy 41st Airlift Squadron POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Over the past few months, the 43rd Airlift Wing has been retiring some of its oldest members. Many have been serving our nation since the early 1960s and will be retiring to sunny Tucson, Ariz., a popular retirement spot due to its warm weather and dry climate. These distinguished retirees have participated in numerous combat missions and have had an immeasurable impact in every major military operation from the Vietnam War to Operation Iraqi Freedom. They have performed countless humanitarian missions across the world and flown around the flag pole more than they would care to admit. These globetrotting war veterans are in fact the C-130E, an icon of Pope. Yes, even the mighty Hercules cannot be a warfighter forever, and eventually the props stop spinning. Black Cat and Lancer aircrews have been flying the retired "Herks" to Davis-Montham AFB, Ariz. where the aircraft are then handed over to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center. The ninth Pope C-130E was flown into retirement Jan. 26, by a crew composed of both 2nd and 41st Airlift Squadron personnel led by aircraft commander Maj. Ken Fiedler. Before each retiree's final flight, it is put through a rigorous inspection by the 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, led by the AMARC input chief, Master Sgt. Tommie Rozier. Sergeant Rozier and his team ensure that each aircraft is safe for flight before being granted a one-time waiver for the seven-hour flight to Davis-Montham AFB. Lockheed Martin engineers outline the required checks to be completed based on a number of factors, to include the aircraft's flying time, condition, and in some cases, the time the aircraft has been grounded. Once all checks are completed, a crew chief does a final inspection before the war-worn and battle tested C-130E is handed over to the aircrew for its final flight. Once on the ground, AMARC takes control of the aircraft, and the preservation process begins. An initial scrub down is performed in which all classified and high value items are removed, and the aircraft fuel system is flushed. Next, a vinyl tape is applied to all crevices and access panels to provide a water-tight seal. Then, the preservation team applies two coats of "black Spraylat," a water-based, non-toxic, latex-like material that seals the aircraft. A final "white Spraylat" coat finishes the preservation process. This white outer shell keeps the aircraft from getting excessively hot in the desert sun and prevents damage. The aircraft are then moved to their final parking spot. Airplanes received at the AMARC are then put into one of three different categories. The first, "Inviolate Storage," is for the lucky few, which may make a Michael Jordan-like return to the air and come out of retirement. They are preserved in their entirety and are not salvaged for parts. Last year, 21 percent of these war birds returned to flight. The next category, "Parts Reclamation Storage," is for those that parts may be removed and reused for other operational assets. The final category aptly named, "Excess to the Needs of the Service," is for aircraft that will be disposed of, but may be used for replacement parts until they are sent to the chopping block. The C-130E has been the workhorse of the Air Force for more than four decades for not only the United States, but also for a countless number of our allies. It has met countless challenges, proven in combat, humanitarian and training missions. After 40 years, and in some cases more than 25,000 flying hours, even the Mighty Hercules must fly off into the sunset. As the 43rd Airlift Wing continues to retire aircraft, the ramp will grow less crowded, but the impact the aging C-130E has had and continues to have on the Air Force will remain immeasurable. Just ask those who have ever flown, maintained, supported, jumped from or received a lift out of a combat zone in the back of the "Four Fans of Freedom," a Lockheed Martin C-130E Hercules.