Cracks Found In Wing Attachment Barrel Nuts

The inspection of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft became a priority issue for the US Air Force last week, after cracks in wing joint barrel nuts were discovered during a routine maintenance inspection of a C-130 at Robins Air Force Base outside of Warner Robins, GA.

Roger Drinnon, a spokesman for the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, told the Associated Press that although the planes were not formally grounded, the inspection of the barrel nuts on 528 affected aircraft began the next day.

Only older "legacy" models were slated for the inspections, Drinnon said, which are expected to take about four hours per plane and will be completed soon. The inspections do not include the C-130J model, introduced in 1999.

Lockheed Martin has built more than 2,000 C-130s in five basic models and 70 variants since its introduction in 1956. The C-130 Hercules has been a workhorse for the US Air Force, other branches of the US military, and numerous other countries.

Last November, the Royal Australian Air Force acknowledged 50 years of outstanding achievements by the aircraft, which has provided combat air lift capability, tactical transport of troops and cargo, special forces insertion, paratroops deployment, supply drops, medevac services, and humanitarian aid.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com, www.af.mil, www.airforce.gov.au