Serial number help

[twagenknecht]

OK...'nother one:
Shot a C-130 from the USN today out at Point Mugu. The only markings on it were a very faded United States Navy, the squad markings on the vertical stabilizer (VM-30), and the numerals '402' on the front portion of the fuselage. I checked the various databases out there, and have come up empty. Any help would really be appreciated.

Regards,
Tim

[Top_Gun]

Tim, do you have any hi res shots that you can email me. You can put a watermark on it if you think I'll use it. I almost wonder if it was an Air Force model transferred to the Navy because nothing comes up going through the normal Navy serials from 155402-166-402

I can't open flicker links from work....

fla_panthers35 at yahoo{nospam} dot com

just remove the no spam

[brianw999]

Well, it's not USAF 88-4402 as that was photographed in England in October in USAF markings....

.....the search continues !

[brianw999]

Scramble shows VX-30 as having two KC-130F's as below, with consecutive codes 400 and 401. Logic says that an addition to these would be 402 ?

.....but where is it ?

I can't find anything more.

148893	401	KC-130F	3607	VX-30	act	oct05	apr06
148897	400	KC-130F	3627	VX-30	act	oct05	jul07

[Top_Gun]

Yeah, I was just checking Google and there is no VM-30 unit in the Navy
C-130 HERCULES

VR-53 Capital Express
VR-54 Revelers
VR-55 Minutemen
VR-62 Nor'easters



148890/148899 Lockheed GV-1 Hercules
Redesignated KC-130F in 1962.
148890 (c/n 282-3592) retired Sep 1994. Fuselage at Hill AFB
148891 (c/n 282-3605)
148892 (c/n 282-3606) retired Oct 1997
148893 (c/n 282-3607) operated as Blue Angels support aircraft 1990-94
148894 (c/n 282-360
148895 (c/n 282-3619) crashlanded after takeoff from 29 Palms, CA Feb 11, 2002. Some crew injuries.
SOC May 3, 2002
148896 (c/n 282-3623) to AMARC as 2G0047 Jun 28, 2006. SOC Nov 29, 2006
148897 (c/n 282-3627)
148898 (c/n 282-3631) to AMARC as 2G0030 Dec 16, 2003
148899 (c/n 282-3632) to AMARC as 2G0046 May 23, 2006. SOC Jul 19, 2006

[arjenp]

I also did some research. The only thing what is saw is that there is a C130 with the regi. 402 with a cn 282-3749.
It's will probably don't help you, but I thought, why not

[twagenknecht]

Update...

Got this from a bloke on a.net:
****** http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">****** name="ProgId" content="Word.Document">****** name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12">****** name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"> http://www.thenorthspin.com/page_roster_vx30.html
Check this list for your C-130. It says 401 has been renumbered to 402.
(near bottom of list)


Now I went there and this is what I found:

401	NC-130F	148893	9/05	4/06	Ex USMC KC-130F. Used as Blue Angel #9 and nicknamed "Ernie" during 1990/91. Has APS-115 radar installed for range surveillance. Arrived 9/10/05. Evidence shows that this aircraft looks to have been changed to side #402 around 06.
402	NC-130F	148893	?	6/08	Ex USMC KC-130F. Used as Blue Angel #9 and nicknamed "Ernie" during 1990/91. Has APS-115 radar installed for range surveillance. Arrived 9/10/05 as #401. Spotted with original three tone scheme and dogs logo on tail 6/08

If this is to be believed, then both Dave and Brian would be correct. Damn Navy changing numbers on us, and not painting the real serial on their planes...So now the question: Which serial/CN should be the real one for our DB? Should it be 148893 with the CN of 282-3607?

[twagenknecht]

Squadron marking

For Dave,
Thanks for the research. I guess my eyes are so poor that I cannot read this photo. The marking should be for VX-30, with some sort of stylized 3 dog logo. They are based here at Point Mugu, and are called the Bloodhounds.

[seahawk]

It is VX-30 148893 NC-130F cn: 3607, was "401". Ups you found that out already

[twagenknecht]

Thanks all

Thanks to everyone who jumped in on this one. I guess now I can add it to the queue...and find out how many other C-130's are flying out of Point Mugu. I had also heard a rumor that the F-35 is out there with the Pacific Test Squadron doing test sorties...Maybe, just maybe I can get a shot of one of those.

[twagenknecht]

One more thing

One discrepancy that I see in the jp.net database: There is no designator for a "NC-130F"...there is a "KC-130F" not A "NC-130F". I have added it to the queue with the KC-130F designation, as this was a USMC original plane, and as the USMC is a part of the USN, then the type would not have changed...correct? If not tell me, so that I can change it to the correct variant. Thanks.

[seahawk]

http://www.jetphotos.net/addphotos/addaircraft.php

And have NC-130F added, then up-load it. That would be the correct way.

[twagenknecht]

Thanks Stefan

Have done this...and already uploaded. Since the queue is sooooo long , the DB entry will be there and I'll change the variant before it gets screened...hopefully ...

Anyway, thanks for all your help, as well as all the rest.

Cheers,
Tim

[brianw999]

Never, EVER have I spent so much time searching for something !!

It was rather fun actually.

Well done to all for tracking it down eventually.

[twagenknecht]

Yes, thanks all

Wow,
That was fun, like Brian said. Thanks to all for the deep help. The DB now has a new entry in it (NC-130F), and if this shot gets accepted, then it will be the first one on jp.net! I gotta think that there are some more of these variants lurking out there...now I got the itch to go find them, hunt those buggars down and shoot them!!!

Again, thanks one and all for the big effort. Much obliged.
Cheers
Tim