No. 37 Squadron’s 12 x C-130E aircraft were delivered to RAAF Richmond between 19th August 1966 and 30th January 1967.
A97-159 arrived 23rd August 1966, captained by 37SQN CO, WGCDR R. (Ron) J. McKimm.
A97-159 decommissioned and returned to Lockheed in 2000. Stripped and rebuilt to Super-E standard with dash-15 engines & glass flight deck instruments. Currently in service with Pakistan Air Force as 4159.
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A97-160 arrived 30th August 1966, captained by SQNLDR R. (Roger) E. Bateson
A97-160 decommissioned in 2000, last flight of the RAAF’s C-130E’s occurred on Tuesday 14th November 2000. The aircraft , under the command of SQNLDR Mike Beattie, flew from Richmond to Point Cook where the aircraft now resides as a RAAF Museum exhibit.
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A97-167 arrived 1st September 1966, captained by FLTLT S. (Stan) G. Hyland
26th October 1973, A97-167 became the first RAAF aircraft to land in China after the Communist takeover, when it delivered a Murray Grey bull as a present from the Australian people. Capt was the CO, WGCDR R.(Roger) E. Bateson.
9 years later, in November 1982, A97-167 returned to the PRC, tasked to carry Joint Services Staff College (JSSC) on the first ever military contingent tour to China. While in country the PRC transported JSSC while A97-167 was tasked to uplift a Terracotta Soldier (Entombed Warrior) Exhibition consignment from Beijing to Hong Kong. Qantas uplifted the consignment from HK to Sydney for the exhibition in Australia during 1983.
Upon decommissioning in 2000, A97-167, along with A97-168, became training aids for for aircrew and load training at RAAF Richmond.
The vertical stabiliser of A97-167 was dedicated as the RAAF Richmond Gate Guard, 18th November 2015 by former 37SQN Commanding Officer AVM Greg Evans (Retd). The tail stands proudly at the main front entry gate of the base.
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A97-168 arrived 13th September 1966, captained by FLTLT D. (Dennis) A.B. Carter
Upon decommissioning in 2000 A97-168 became a training aid for for aircrew and load training at RAAF Richmond.
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A97-171 arrived 30th September 1966, captained by SQNLDR R. (Roger) E. Bateson
A97-171 decommissioned and returned to Lockheed in 2000. Stripped and rebuilt to Super-E standard with dash-15 engines & glass flight deck instruments. Currently in service with Pakistan Air Force as 4171.
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A97-172 arrived 19th October 1966, captained by FLTLT Ron Egle
Upon decommissioning, 28th March 2000, A97-172 retired to Holsworthy Army Barracks, NSW for aircraft loading and parachute training.
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A97-177 arrived 23rd November 1966, captained by FLTLT S. (Stan) G. Hyland
- 28th July 1977 – A97-177 airframe logged the 100,000th hour of C130E accident free Hercules service with the RAAF.
- Avalon Airshow 1999 – A97-177 logged the 600,000th hour of accident free Hercules service with the RAAF.
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Longest C130E flight ~ A97-177 – 27th September 1990, Diego Garcia to Richmond direct. Distance – 4714 nm, duration 15.3 hours.
A97-177 decommissioned and returned to Lockheed in 2000. Stripped and rebuilt to Super-E standard with dash-15 engines & glass flight deck instruments. Currently in service with Pakistan Air Force as 4177.
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A97-178 arrived 26th November 1966, captained by FLTLT Bob Greenwood.
- 37 Sqn 50th Anniversary Colour Scheme in 1993.
A97-178 decommissioned and returned to Lockheed in 2000. Stripped and rebuilt to Super-E standard with dash-15 engines & glass flight deck instruments. Currently in service with Pakistan Air Force as 4178.
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A97-180 arrived 12th December 1966, captained by FLTLT Ron Egle
A97-180 decommissioned and returned to Lockheed in 2000. Stripped and rebuilt to Super-E standard with dash-15 engines & glass flight deck instruments. Currently in service with Pakistan Air Force as 4180.
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A97-181 arrived 12th December 1966, captained by FLT LT Ron Bishop
- 4th March 1988 – This airframe logged the 200,000th hour of C130E accident free Hercules service with the RAAF.
Returned to Lockheed 2000, reported as broken up for spares, which could have gone to Pakistan.
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A97-189 arrived 25th January 1967, captained by FLT LT Ron Bishop
A97-189 decommissioned and returned to Lockheed in 2000. Stripped and rebuilt to Super-E standard with dash-15 engines & glass flight deck instruments. Currently in service with Pakistan Air Force as 4189.
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A97-190 arrived 30th January 1967, FLTLT D. (Dennis) A.B. Carter
Suffered battle damage to elevators during humanitarian evacuation tasks in Vietnam April 1975. A/C flown to Butterworth for repair.
Disassembled for parts reclamation in May 2000.
Airframe was used as training aid for aircrew and load training at Richmond until demolition in May 2016.
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And, the “Phantom” RAAF C-130E, A97-196, painted with RAAF markings instead of the correct airframe allocation RAF markings at the Lockheed factory.
Sadly,
24 March 1969, RAF 30SQN S/No XV380 stalled shortly after takeoff, six crew members killed, airframe written off.