Hercules full stop

Mileage markers at the New Castle County Airport, Del., on June 14, 2007 while a Delaware Air National Guard C-130 Hercules conducts a training flight commemorating the 166th Airlift Wing's 160,000th accident-free flight hour. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mike R Smith, National Guard Bureau)

Marking 160,000 miles

Mileage markers at the New Castle County Airport, Del., on June 14, 2007 while a Delaware Air National Guard C-130 Hercules conducts a training flight commemorating the 166th Airlift Wing's 160,000th accident-free flight hour. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mike R Smith, National Guard Bureau)

Before the formation

A banner-towing small civilian aircraft owns the sky over Ocean City, Md. shortly before a five-ship large formation of Delaware Air National Guard C-130 transport aircraft from the 166th Airlift Wing in New Castle, Del. flew overhead. Beachgoers at Md. and Del. coastal areas saw part of the 700-mile, three-hour training flight on June 7, 2008 over four states (Del., Md., Va., and N.J.) culminating in an airdrop over Coyle Field, N.J. and a return to home station at New Castle Airport, Del.

Formation overhead

A five-ship large formation of Delaware Air National Guard C-130 transport aircraft from the 166th Airlift Wing in New Castle, Del. in flight heading north offshore from Bethany Beach, Delaware during a 700-mile, three-hour training flight on June 7, 2008 over four states (Del., Md., Va., and N.J.) culminating in an airdrop over Coyle Field, N.J. and a return to home station at New Castle Airport, Del.

Parked after milestone

Aircraft # 213, Delaware Air National Guard, parked on the ramp at New Castle air base, Del., after passing the 10,000 flying hour milestone on June 5, 2008, becoming the first C-130 aircraft in the unit to pass this mark since the fleet arrived in the mid-1980s.

Proud C-130 crew chief with air crew

Aircrew and crew chief for Delaware Air National Guard C-130H tail # 213 stand together after 10,000 flying hour mark was broken June 5, 2008. This became the first unit aircraft to reach the milestone since the aircraft arrived new in the mid-1980s. L to R: Aircraft commander and pilot Maj. Tim Casey, Navigator Capt. Mark Linzmeier, loadmaster Senior Airman Philip Harris, pilot Col. Jonathan Groff and commander, 166th Airlift Wing, flight engineer Tech. Sgt. John DeFrancesco and crew chief Tech. Sgt. Scott Nybakken.

10,000 hour C-130H milestone reached by Delaware ANG

C-130 aircraft # 213, Delaware Air National Guard, moments after landing on June 5, 2008. Unit aircrew flew the aircraft past the 10,000 flying hour milestone, the first C-130H aircraft in the unit's inventory to reach this mark. The fleet of C-130H aircraft arrived factory-fresh in the mid-1980s to the New Castle air base.

Capt. Chris Strickler documents flight routes

Capt. Chris Strickler, 166th Operations Support Flight, Delaware Air National Guard, the mission planner for the June 7, 2008 five-ship C-130 formation and airdrop mission, documents flight routes in the base operations flight planning room.

Getting ready to go

Servicemembers en route to Iraq prepare to board a C-130 Hercules Nov. 30 at an air base in Southwest Asia. The C-130 is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for air dropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder)

Hercules lifts off

A C-130 Hercules from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron takes off from Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, at sunrise on Saturday, June 10. The squadron flies approximately five missions a day, providing airlift and airdrops to troops in theater. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brian Ferguson)