Lockheed L-100 Hercules Explained

The Lockheed L-100 Hercules is the civilian variant of the prolific C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft made by the Lockheed Corporation. Its first flight occurred in 1964. Longer L-100-20 and L-100-30 versions were developed. L-100 production ended in 1992 with 114 aircraft delivered. An updated variant of the model, LM-100J, completed its first flight in Marietta, Georgia on 25 May 2017, and started production in 2019.[1] L-100 and LM-100J aircraft can be distinguished from the C-130 and C-130J military versions by the absence of side and forward windows underneath the main windshield.

Development

In 1959, Pan American World Airways ordered 12 of Lockheed's GL-207 Super Hercules to be delivered by 1962, to be powered by four 6,000 eshp Allison T56 turboprops.[2] Slick Airways was to receive 6 such aircraft later in 1962. The Super Hercules was to be 23feet longer than the C-130B; a variant powered by 6,445 eshp Rolls-Royce Tynes and a jet-powered variant with four Pratt & Whitney JT3D-11 turbofans were also under development.

The prototype L-100 (registered N1130E) first flew on April 20, 1964, when it carried out a 25-hour, 1 minute flight, the longest first flight of a commercial aircraft at the time.[3] The type certificate was awarded on 16 February 1965. Twenty-one production aircraft were then built with the first delivery to Continental Air Services on September 30, 1965.

Deliveries totaled 114 aircraft, with production ending in 1992. Several L-100-20 aircraft were operated on scheduled freight flights by Delta Air Lines between 1968 and 1973.

An updated civilian version of the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules was under development, but the program was placed on hold indefinitely in 2000 to focus on military development and production.[4] On February 3, 2014, Lockheed Martin formally relaunched the LM-100J program, saying it expects to sell 75 aircraft. Lockheed sees the new LM-100J as an ideal replacement for the existing civil L-100 fleets.[5]

The launch operator for the LM-100J was Pallas Aviation: from 2019 they would operate two aircraft from Fort Worth Alliance Airport in the United States.[6] By early March 2022 the four LM-100J aircraft (tail numbers N96MG, N71KM, N67AU and N139RB) then owned by Pallas had begun flying numerous flights, numbering at least 522 by May 16, 2024 between Ramstein AB and secondary military air facilities at Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą (EPNM), Poland; Boboc (LRBO), Romania; Sliač (LZSL), Slovakia; Lielvārde (EVGA), Latvia and Aalborg (EKYT), Denmark.[7] [8] A fifth and final LM-100J, N91BU, was delivered to Pallas Aviation in August 2023. In early June of 2024, Larry Gallogly, Lockheed’s director, customer requirements for air mobility and maritime missions said, “We have not seen robust demand for the commercial variant of the [LM-100]J, so we haven’t had follow-on customers.”[9]

Variants

Civilian variants are equivalent to the C-130E model without pylon tanks, side and front windows under the main winshield or military equipment.

L-100 (Model 382)
  • One prototype powered by four Allison 501-D22s and first flown in 1964
    L-100 (Model 382B)
  • Production variant
    L-100-20 (Model 382E and Model 382F)
  • Stretched variant certified in 1968 with a new 5feet section forward of the wing and 3feet section aft of the wing.
    L-100-30 (Model 382G)
  • A further stretched variant with an additional 6feet fuselage section.
    L-100M-30 (Model 382G)
  • A Military Conversion of L-100 With Stretched 6feet fuselage section.
    LM-100J (Model 382J)
  • An updated civilian version of the military C-130J-30 model.[10]
    L-400 Twin Hercules
  • A twin-engine variant of the C-130. It was advertised in at least one publication that it would have "more than 90% parts commonality" with the standard C-130. The aircraft was shelved in the mid-1980s without any being built.[11] [12]

    Operators

    Civilian operators

    In March 2011, a total of 36 Lockheed L-100 Hercules aircraft were in commercial service. Operators include Lynden Air Cargo (10), Transafrik (5), Libyan Arab Air Cargo (3), and other operators with fewer aircraft.[13]

    Military operators

    In May 2011, 35 Lockheed L-100s were in use with military operators, including:

    Other users with fewer aircraft.[14]

    Accidents and incidents

    References

    Notes
  • Bibliography

    • External links

    Notes and References

    1. News: First Flight For Lockheed Freighter . AVweb . Grady . Mary . 30 May 2017 . 30 May 2017 .
    2. René J. Francillon: Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London 1987,, p. 372.
    3. Web site: Service news. Lockheed martin . 29 June 2023.
    4. http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=270 Lockheed L-100 Hercules
    5. News: Lockheed launches civil version of C-130J military transport plane. 3 February 2014. Reuters.
    6. Web site: Lockheed lands low-profile launch customer for LM-130J. 12 October 2018. John Hemmerdinger. FlightGlobal.
    7. Osinttechnical . 1510241451002765324 . 2 April 2022 . In March, N67AU and N71KM, run by Pallas Aviation made 39 trips between Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Nowe Miasto Nad Pilica Airport in Poland. https://t.co/HDGiqfLhl5 https://t.co/LCHAqwOzCt . 4 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221108183940/https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1510241451002765324 . 8 November 2022 . live.
    8. Gerjon חריון غريون ኼርዮን . Gerjon_ . 1552009508549005315 . 26 July 2022 . They are the following two aircraft, both hidden on @flightradar24: N71KM #A97AA1 N67AU #A8D972 *I counted these by hand so there might be a slight difference between my numbers and reality. . 4 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220726191455/https://twitter.com/Gerjon_/status/1552009508549005315 . 26 July 2022 . live.
    9. Web site: Robust demand should safeguard C-130J production through 2030s, Lockheed says .
    10. Web site: Lockheed-Martin to Update Civilian Version of the Hercules. 6 February 2014. 5 February 2014. AV Web.
    11. Web site: Code One Magazine. 22 May 2021.
    12. Web site: L400 half Hercules . 22 May 2021. C-130 Hercules.net – The internet's No. 1 C-130 resource. April 15, 2016 . en-US.
    13. "World Airliner Census". Flight International, 18–24 August 2009.
    14. "World Military Aircraft Inventory". 2009 Aerospace Source Book. Aviation Week and Space Technology, January 2009.
    15. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-notifies-congress-of-potential-libyan-c-130j-sale-386972/ US notifies Congress of potential Libyan C-130J sale
    16. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed L-100-20 Hercules N521SJ Wau Airport (WUU) . Aviation safety.
    17. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed L-100-20 Hercules 4593 Barangay Bukana, San Pedro Extension, Davao City. Harro. Ranter . Aviation safety.
    18. [Olausson, Lars]
    19. Web site: Accident Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules, Wednesday 23 June 2021 .

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