FRIDAY FOTO (April 7, 2017)

Air Power?

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Donald Hudson)

Airmen pull a C-130H Hercules aircraft down the runway during the 374th Maintenance Group Wrenchbender Rodeo at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 31, 2017.

The airmen are assigned to the 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Teams from various maintenance squadrons competed against each other in nine events, finishing with a C-130 pull.

FRIDAY FOTO (January 6, 2017)

Herculean View.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Elizabeth Baker)
This aircrew aboard a C-130 Hercules circling over a remote island in Micronesia last month appear to have the have the best seat in the house. Assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron,  the crew was practicing airdrop procedures December 5, 2016 during Operation Christmas Drop. Each year Operation Christmas Drop provides tools, food, clothing and toys to over 30,000 islanders in the Pacific.

In addition to highlighting the complicated cockpit technology — with the heavenly view — we thought this photo and the operation it illustrates  was a suitable holiday season subject for today, January 6 — Three Kings Day. Also known as the feast of the Magi or Epiphany, the holiday is also celebrated in many countries as the last day of the Christmas season (the 12th Day of Christmas, as in the song).

FRIDAY FOTO (September 5, 2014)

Dawn’s Early Lights

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Erica Stooksbury adjusts the cockpit lighting controls as the sun rises following a humanitarian airdrop mission over Amirli, Iraq, Aug. 31, 2014. Two C-17s dropped 79 container delivery system bundles of fresh drinking water totaling 7,513 gallons. In addition, two U.S. C-130s aircraft dropped 30 bundles totaling 3,032 gallons of fresh drinking water and 7,056 meals ready to eat

Stooksbury is a C-17 Globemaster III pilot assigned to the assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.   

FRIDAY FOTO (December 27, 2013)

Santa Flight

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Marianique Santos

Some of Santa’s helpers discus flight plans over the Pacific Ocean during Operation Christmas Drop.

Maj. John Chrampanis, a C-130 Hercules aircraft commander with the 36th Airlift Squadron speaks with Capt. Michael Kelly, a C-130 pilot with the 36th AS. Both pilots are stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

This year marked the 61st anniversary of the holiday mission delivering gifts and supplies to more than 30,000 islanders on Chuuk, Palau, Yap, the Marshall Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Airman for the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as well as family members, local volunteers and airmen from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota, kicked off the mission December 11. Packages of toys, clothing, fishing equipment, sporting goods, food items, tools and other items were airdropped from C-130 Hercules aircraft to 54 islands.

To see more photos of the holiday mission, click here.

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FRIDAY FOTO (November 18, 2011)

Fuji Fly-By

(U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

A formation of U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft fly past Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji during a training mission known as Samurai Surge on Nov. 4, 2011. The object of Samurai Surge is to launch as many available aircraft simultaneously from Yakota Air Base in Japan. In this instance, seven of the 36th Airlift Squadron’s 40-year-old turboprop C-130s were dispatched within minutes of each other.

Yakota is home to the 374th Airlift Wing, which includes the 36th Airlift Squadron. The Air Wing supplies the tactical airlift capability for the western Pacific region. “We go to places like Thailand, Australia, anywhere in the Pacific Command area of responsibility to deliver whatever needs to be delivered,” says Capt. Michael Makaryk of the 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, one of the air wing’s four groups. The others are the 374th Operations Group, 374th Mission Support Group and the 374th Medical Group.

The 36th Squadron is the only forward-based tactical airlift squadron in the Pacific. It provides C-130 aircrews to transport cargo and personnel, and conduct airdrops,  medical evacuation, search and rescue and humanitarian relief missions.

Don’t forget to click on the photo to see a larger image of the C-130s and the mountain.